Game of Thrones fans have been waiting nearly two years for the fantasy drama to return.
We’ve rounded up 15 things you should know before you tune into the last season.
1. Irish viewers will be able to watch the show tomorrow. It airs at 2am on Sky Atlantic, which will broadcast the premiere episode at the same time as HBO in the US.
2. This is the final season. In June 2016, HBO programming president Casey Bloys said: “If I could get them to do more I would take 10 more seasons but we take their lead.”
3. There will only be six episodes of the last series. At the end of Season 6, it was revealed the show only had 13 episodes left.
4. The episodes will be feature-length. After speculation, HBO confirmed the lengths and dates for all six episodes for the final season.
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5. The first episode starts with Daenerys arriving at Winterfell with Jon Snow. It’s a nod to King Robert Baratheon in the debut show.
- 6. Sansa and Daenerys finally meet. On one of the first pieces of footage unveiled from the upcoming season is the pair’s dramatic first encounter.
7. Sansa will face a “big challenge”. Just because Littlefinger won’t be in Season 8, it doesn’t mean Sansa (Sophie Turner) is safe.
8. The White Walker battle scenes took weeks to film. The face-off with humankind will include the series’ biggest conflict to date.
9. Multiple endings were reportedly filmed. HBO revealed the GoT team shot a number of scenes for the series finale to ensure no spoilers.
10. The budget is €13.2million per episode. The final series is GoT’s most expensive season yet. Season 2 reportedly cost €5.3million per episode.
11. The actors were reportedly fed lines through an earpiece. Security on set was tighter than ever before following the big HBO hack.
12. GoT wrapped filming in July 2018. At the time Maisie Williams posted a message on Instagram, “Goodbye Belfast. Goodbye Game of Thrones.”
13. Everyone is dead in one of the Season 8 posters. Jon Snow, Jaime Lannister. Arya and Bran Stark are in their icy grave. Daenerys too.
14. What do fans think will happen in Season 8? One idea is Tyrion Lannister might turn out to be a member of the Targaryen line.
- 15. How will the final season tie in with George RR Martin’s novels? The plot is based on unfinished books The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring.
