Warning: Contains potential spoilers for Game Of Thrones.
Game Of Thrones eighth season has been subjected to numerous leaks since filming began, but what details can be salvaged from the set and casting hints?
While we have to wait until next year for the epic conclusion to the fantasy phenomena (before the crazy amount of spin-offs), there’s been a surprising amount of teasing adjectives and battered sets cropping up in the online stratosphere.
So what do we know about Game Of Thrones season eight? Let’s dive in.
Burning castles galore
An early leak from the set showed House Stark’s residence at Winterfell coated in flames, with claims over 200 extras were involved in a ‘big battle scene’.
Considering Sansa was left in charge of the place in Jon Snow’s absence, could this be the first stop on the White Walker rampage now they’ve torn through the wall? And could this be Sansa’s big test of her leadership qualities she’s started to show?
The Unsullied army were also reportedly spotted filming not too far away in Toome, indicating Daenerys and Jon Snow could perhaps be involved in the conflict too.
More leaked set pictures show King’s Landing looking in a pretty rough shape too, with reports pyrotechnics had been used around the set.
There’s been previous hints from show producers (and Bran Stark’s vision) a dragon could be about to cause mayhem over King’s Landing – so could Cersei Lannister bow out via brutal scorching?
Back to the Dragonpit
The body doubles of both Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) were spotted both returning to the Italica amphitheatre ruins in Seville, where season seven’s Dragonpit sequence was filmed.
It’s perhaps unsurprising another round in the Dragonpit looks to be taking place considering season seven’s felt slightly anticlimactic – with the meeting of Daenerys, Cersei, Jon Snow, Brienne and more not really amounting to much. Could this be a more devastating encounter?
New faces
A previous report from Watchers On The Wall indicated eight new people had been cast in the show, even though judging by the generic titles, these could be more battle fodder amid the ongoing war.
Other castings include Daniella Galligan as Sarra, which will presumably be Sarra Frey aka a granddaughter of Walder Frey.
Alice Nokes has also been cast as a character named Willa, while German actor Marc Rissman (Into The Badlands) has joined as Harry Strickland, who is the leader of the Golden Company.
You might recall Cersei sent Euron Greyjoy to bring back the Golden Company to aid her defence over the Iron Throne, so it looks like they could play a tide-turning role in the final season.
Old, returning faces
After Metro.co.uk spoke to Tobias Menzies, he didn’t exactly rule out a potential return in the final season as Edmure Tully.
His reappearance could herald House Tully’s return, with Edmure having married Walder Frey’s daughter Roslin at the infamous Red Wedding.
Roslin is now living somewhere in Westeros with her and Edmure’s newborn son, so a return could revive their exiled house and allow them to reclaim the riverlands.
Another old face who is seemingly returning is Wilf Scolding as Rhaegar Targaryen, after deleting a post on Instagram showing him near the Belfast set.
This likely means we’ll be diving deep into Bran Stark’s visions as The Three Eyed Raven once more. After all, we’re still waiting for Jon Snow to find out his worrying connection to Daenerys.
One person who is most likely not returning is Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed, who confirmed to Metro.co.uk she’d yet to receive a call about coming back.
Who is directing?
Show creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are directing one episode of the final season, presumably the finale.
The rest of the episodes will be directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who was responsible for the excellent season six finale and Battle Of The Bastards, along with David Nutter, who most famously directed the Red Wedding episode.
What have the cast said about it?
Nathalie Emmanuel previously told Metro.co.uk season eight ‘definitely will not be a rushed conclusion’ while Joe Dempsie teased it’ll be an unexpected and ‘satisfying’.
‘It’s an ending I don’t think many people will be expecting and I think, on reflection, people will really, really enjoy.’
Emilia Clarke meanwhile has stated the final season will divide viewers, with some being confused while others ‘will scream’.
In other words, it sounds like it could be an ending which is more open-ended than we’re expecting – which might not deliver when it comes to instant gratification.
Oh come on, when is it released already?
Game Of Thrones season eight is expected to release in 2019.
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