Season 6 of Game of Thrones was formally commissioned by HBO on 8 April 2014, following a substantial increase in audience figures between the third and fourth seasons.[1] The fifth and sixth seasons were commissioned simultaneously, the first time HBO has done so for a major drama series.
The season consists of ten episodes. It began filming in July 2015 and will conclude late into the year.[2] David Benioff and D.B. Weiss return as executive producers and showrunners, having signed a new two-year contract with HBO in early 2014.
The season is expected to premiere in Spring 2016.
Season 6 will be based on the hitherto unreleased sixth novel of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, The Winds of Winter, along with some material from the fourth and fifth novels, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons.
Plot
Template:Season 6 plot
Production
For the first time since Croatia was introduced into the production for Season 2, the country was not used for any filming. Previously, Dubrovnik had been used to recreate King's Landing, while Klis, Split and Šibenik depicted Braavos and Meereen. This season turned to new Spanish locations instead.[3][4]
In mid-to-late July, production began in Northern Ireland.[5][6] Interior shooting returned to Paint Hall Studios, in Belfast, while location shooting took place at Garron Point (previously Runestone)[7]; Magilligan (reprising its part as the Dothraki sea); Moneyglass (at the Winterfell set)[8][9]; Ballintoy Harbour (previously Dragonstone and Pyke)[10]; Maghermorne (at the Castle Black set)[11]; Saintfield (previously the Godswood and the forests in the North)[12]; Glenarm (previously the Vale)[13], where 400 extras were involved[14]; Carnlough Harbour (as a Braavosi canal)[15], Shane's Castle (once more as the foundations of the Great Sept of Baelor, previously also the crypts of Winterfell)[16]; and the fields near Carncastle (previously the fields around Winterfell).[17]
Earlier, Spanish location scouting commenced in Girona, Peñiscola[18] and Almería.[19] On June 3, 2015, it was confirmed that filming would partly take place in Peñiscola and Girona.[20] Next, the locations of Mesa Roldán in Almería and the Bardenas semi-desert natural park in Navarre were also confirmed.[21][22][23] On July 9, more Spanish locations were revealed: the Santa Florentina Castle in Barcelona; the Zafra Castle in Guadalajara (later confirmed to be the Tower of Joy[3]); and the Alcazaba of Almería.[24] On August 17, the locations in the Old Town of Girona were specified: the Benedictine abbey of Sant Pere de Galligants, a monastery which will serve as an interior location; the nearby squares of Plaça dels Jurats and Plaça de la Catedral, next to the the Girona Cathedral; and a number of historic streets.[25] At the end of the month, the sets for a Braavosi marketplace and theater stage were built in Girona, in preparation for shooting in early September.[26][27] In Almería, the crew built a Dothraki set in El Chorrillo, a hamlet in the Alhamilla mountains, in order to prepare for filming in mid-to-late October.[28][29] Concurrently, other locations in Almería were reported: the Tabernas desert and the municipalities of Sorbas and Pechina.[30]
Cast
Returning starring cast
All starring cast members whose characters survive Season 5 are expected to return for the sixth season.
- Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister[31]
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister[32]
- Lena Headey as Queen Mother Cersei Lannister[33]
- Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys Targaryen[33]
- Kit Harington as Lord Commander Jon Snow [34]
- Aidan Gillen as Lord Petyr Baelish[35]
- Natalie Dormer as Queen Margaery Tyrell[36]
- Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth[37]
- Carice van Houten as Lady Melisandre[38]
- Alfie Allen as Prince Theon Greyjoy[36]
- Sophie Turner as Princess Sansa Stark[39]
- Maisie Williams as Arya Stark[40]
- Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark[41]
- John Bradley as Samwell Tarly[36]
- Hannah Murray as Gilly[42]
- Conleth Hill as Varys[36]
- Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth[43]
- Jerome Flynn as Ser Bronn[44]
- Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane[45]
- Michiel Huisman as Daario Naharis[46]
- Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei[39]
- Dean-Charles Chapman as King Tommen Baratheon[47]
- Tom Wlaschiha as Jaqen H'ghar[48]
- Michael McElhatton as Lord Roose Bolton[49]
- Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton[50]
Returning guest starring cast
- Jonathan Pryce as the High Sparrow[51]
- Alexander Siddig as Prince Doran Martell[52]
- Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne[53]
- David Bradley as Lord Walder Frey[50]
- Natalia Tena as Osha[51]
- Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm[54]
- Finn Jones as Ser Loras Tyrell[55]
- Ian Gelder as Ser Kevan Lannister[56]
- Eugene Simon as Brother Lancel[47]
- Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne[57]
- Gemma Whelan as Princess Yara Greyjoy[54]
- Keisha Castle-Hughes as Obara Sand[58]
- Jessica Henwick as Nymeria Sand[58]
- Kristian Nairn as Hodor[58]
- Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollett[59]
- Brian Fortune as Othell Yarwyck[60]
- Brenock O'Connor as Olly[61]
- Art Parkinson as Rickon Stark[51]
- Rupert Vansittart as Lord Yohn Royce[62]
- Lino Facioli as Lord Robin Arryn[59]
- Faye Marsay as the Waif[63]
- Josephine Gillan as Marei[64]
New cast members
- Ricky Champ as Flynn. Announced July 23, 2015[65]
- Ian McShane as TBA. Announced August 1, 2015[66]
- Max von Sydow as the Three-eyed raven. Announced August 3, 2015.[67]
- Sebastian Croft as Young Eddard Stark. Announced August 9, 2015.[68]
- Fergus Leathem as TBA. Announced August 9, 2015.[68]
- Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as TBA. Announced August 26, 2015.[69]
- Andrew Bryan as a Bolton officer. Announced August 26, 2015.[70]
- Tristan Heanue as TBA. Announced August 26 ,2015[71]
- Souad Faress as TBA. Announced August 27, 2015.[72]
- Eddie Eyre as Ser Alfred Hunrith. Announced August 27, 2015.[73]
Reported new characters
In past TV seasons, casting calls frequently gave the names of major characters who were going to be introduced. Apparently fearing that this was leading to too many spoilers, however, starting with Season 6 HBO did not actually include the names of characters in their casting calls, only aliases and descriptions - though several of these descriptions are specific enough that the identity of the character can be discerned with reasonable certainty:
- A pirate who fits the description of Euron Greyjoy, the "Crow's Eye".[74]
- A father who fits the description of Lord Randyll Tarly, the Lord of Horn Hill.[74]
- A mother who fits the description of Lady Melessa Tarly.[74]
- A sister who fits the description of Talla Tarly.[74]
- A brother who fits the description of Dickon Tarly.[74]
- A priest who fits the description of Septon Meribald.[74]
- A leading actress with a traveling theater troupe.[74]
- High Priestess Kinvara.[74][75]
- A fierce warrior who fits the description of a Dothraki Khal, presumably Khal Jhaqo.[74]
- A large boy.[74][76]
- A 7 year old boy.[74][76]
- A Child of the Forest.[77]
- Qhogo, a Dothraki.[78]
- Akrat, a Dothraki.[78]
- Bower, a servant.[78]
- Lachlan, an outlaw leader.[78]
- Japeth, an outlaw.[78]
- A legendary fighter who fits the description of Ser Arthur Dayne.[78]
- A Lord of a Noble Northern House who fits the description of a member of House Umber.[78][79]
- A Lord of a Noble Northern Stronghold.[78]
- A hunter.[78]
- A submissive maester.[78]
- A green recruit.[78]
- A sympathiser (1).[78]
- A sympathiser (2).[78]
- A sympathiser (3).[78]
- A housemaid.[78]
- A father.[78]
- A hapless son to cruel father, with a long nose and skeletal features.[80]
- This could fit the description of a member of House Frey - there are numerous Freys in the novels and the TV series has often turned them into composite characters, so this might not be a one-for-one match to a book character.
- A blonde baby[81]
Crew
On March 27 2015, author George R.R. Martin said he would again not write a script for Season 6, as he wished to concentrate on finishing The Winds of Winter as soon as possible.[82] On June 4, Miguel Sapochnik indicated he was already preparing to direct next season.[83] Jeremy Podeswa made similar statements in June 12.[84] On June 19, the showrunners confirmed that April Ferry would be the new costume designer for Season 6, replacing Michele Clapton, who decided to leave after five seasons.[85] On June 22, newcomer Jack Bender announced he would direct two episodes for season six.[86] The full list of directors and which episodes they would oversee was released in Entertainment Weekly on June 25. There will be five directors, each doing two back to back episodes, as in Season 5. Jack Bender and Daniel Sackheim are working on the TV series for the first time, while the other three directors previously worked on the series in Season 5; none worked on the first four seasons.[87]
Producers
- David Benioff: executive producer
- D.B. Weiss: executive producer
- April Ferry: costume designer
Writers
- David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
- Bryan Cogman
Directors
- Jeremy Podeswa - episodes 1 and 2
- Daniel Sackheim - episodes 3 and 4
- Jack Bender - episodes 5 and 6
- Mark Mylod - episodes 7 and 8
- Miguel Sapochnik - episodes 9 and 10
Episodes
Image gallery
Posters
Video gallery
References
- ↑ The Hollywood Reporter — 'Game of Thrones' Renewed for Two More Seasons
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Filming begins
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Watchers on the Wall — The Tower of Joy confirmed! And more new details about a key role involved
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Confirmed: Game of Thrones not returning to Croatia for season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Cast arrives in Belfast for Season 6 filming
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — More Cast Arrive in Northern Ireland for Season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Filming begins at Garron Point
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Filming begins in Magilligan and Moneyglass
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Location filming in Northern Ireland begins for Game of Thrones season 6!
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Production Moving to Ballintoy
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones Filming at Castle Black set in Magheramorne
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones Returns to Saintfield!
- ↑ Filming this week in Glenarm
- ↑ Game of Thrones Sallagh Tour Guide
- ↑ BelfastLive — Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams snapped filming scenes in Carnlough Harbour
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones returns to Shane’s Castle for season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones filmed a season 6 scene recently with 400 extras
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones scouting Girona, Spain for season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones season 6 Spain scouting shifts from Navarre to Almería
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones Confirmed to Return to Spain for Season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Almería in Spain (unofficially) confirmed for Game of Thrones Season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Mesa Roldán confirmed as a Game of Thrones season 6 location
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Extras casting under way with Navarre confirmed for Game of Thrones season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — 2 new castles added for Game of Thrones season 6!
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Girona locations for Game of Thrones season 6 announced
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — New photos of Game of Thrones preparations in Girona!
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — New Game of Thrones set photos building a stage in Girona
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones crew arrives in Almería
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — New photos of Girona and Almería Game of Thrones sets in progress!
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones filming dates and details at Mesa Roldan
- ↑ POPSUGAR — Peter Dinklage Interview
- ↑ Making Game of Thrones — Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Interview
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Variety — ‘Game of Thrones’ Stars Talk Emmy Nominations, ‘Sick’ Season 6 Scripts
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Kit Harington spotted AGAIN/
- ↑ Chris Creaner Facebook — Aidan Gillen sighting
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 Making Game of Thrones — The GoT Cast Talks Scene-envy and Teases Season 6
- ↑ Food World News — Liam Cunningham interview
- ↑ San Diego Comic Con 2015 — Game of Thrones panel
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Watchers on the Wall — More Game of Thrones Cast Arrive in Northern Ireland for Season 6
- ↑ Making Game of Thrones — Maisie Williams Interview
- ↑ Irish Examiner — Isaac Hempstead Wright Interview
- ↑ Moviefone — 'Game of Thrones' Season 6: Actors Share Exciting One-Word Script Teases
- ↑ Access Hollywood — Gwendoline Christie: Will Fans See More Of Brienne In 'GoT' Season 6?
- ↑ Curtis Brown — Jerome Flynn CV
- ↑ Kristofer Hivju fan sighting in Belfast
- ↑ Game of Thrones Insider Instagram — Michiel Huisman sighting
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Dean C. Chapman Twitter — With Eugene Simon
- ↑ Hamilton Hodell — Tom Wlaschiha CV
- ↑ Michael McElhatton Interview
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones stars returning to Belfast, including a wicked character
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 Are these Game of Thrones stars spotted in Belfast returning in season 6?
- ↑ AV Club — Alexander Siddig Interview
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Owen Teale on season 6 and being the man who killed Jon Snow
- ↑ 54.0 54.1 InstaThrones Instagram — Jacob Anderson, Gemma Whelan, Michiel Huisman, Nathalie Emanuel sighting
- ↑ Melty — Finn Jones con interview
- ↑ Curtis Brown — Ian Gelder CV
- ↑ Daniel Portman Twitter — Back to Belfast
- ↑ 58.0 58.1 58.2 Watchers on the Wall — The Sand Snakes on Game of Thrones season 6; Belfast sightings galore for the cast of GoT!
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 Kit Harington spotted AGAIN; Filming begins at Garron Point
- ↑ O'Sullivan — Brian Fortune CV
- ↑ Brenock O'Connor Instagram — Back in Belfast
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Yohn Royce confirmed to return in season 6
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Faye Marsay Likely Returning
- ↑ Josephine Gillan Twitter
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Ricky Champ joins the cast
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Ian McShane cast in Game of Thrones season 6
- ↑ Entertainment Weekly — Game of Thrones casts screen legend Max von Sydow in familiar role
- ↑ 68.0 68.1 Watchers on the Wall — Young Ned cast, sources report!
- ↑ Visir — Jóhannes Haukur in Game of Thrones
- ↑ Spotlight — Andrew Bryan CV
- ↑ O'Sullivan — Tristan Heanue CV
- ↑ The Narrow Road — Souad Faress in Game of Thrones
- ↑ Spotlight — Eddie Eyre CV
- ↑ 74.00 74.01 74.02 74.03 74.04 74.05 74.06 74.07 74.08 74.09 74.10 Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones season 6 casting has begun – and here’s the list!
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones season six audition surfaces online
- ↑ 76.0 76.1 Watchers on the Wall — Young flashback kids correction
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones casting for another season 6 female role
- ↑ 78.00 78.01 78.02 78.03 78.04 78.05 78.06 78.07 78.08 78.09 78.10 78.11 78.12 78.13 78.14 78.15 Watchers on the Wall — More characters being cast for Game of Thrones Season 6!
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — “Northern Lord” still not cast
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Game of Thrones casting another Frey for season 6?
- ↑ Watchers on the Wall — Spanish casting calls offer more season 6 hints
- ↑ George R. R. Martin Livejournal — Conventions and Cancellations
- ↑ Miguel Sapochnik June 4 Tweet
- ↑ CBCNews — Game of Thrones shines with Canadian talent
- ↑ Hollywood Reporter — 'Game of Thrones' Season 6 Adds New Costume Designer
- ↑ Hollywood Reporter — 'Game of Thrones' Director Previews "Complex" and "Enormous" Season 6
- ↑ Entertainment Weekly — Game of Thrones directors revealed for mysterious season 6