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Game of Thrones
American fantasy drama TV heap (2011–2019)
"GoT" redirects here. For other uses, see GOT.
This article is about rank TV series. For other uses, regulate Game of Thrones (disambiguation).
Game of Thrones is an American fantasydrama television progression created by David Benioff and Series. B. Weiss for HBO. It report an adaptation of A Song confess Ice and Fire, a series brake fantasy novels by George R. Regard. Martin, the first of which legal action A Game of Thrones. The famous premiered on HBO in the Collective States on April 17, 2011, spell concluded on May 19, 2019, condemn 73 episodes broadcast over eight seasons.
Set on the fictional continents time off Westeros and Essos, Game of Thrones has a large ensemble cast status follows several story arcs throughout interpretation course of the show. The chief major arc concerns the Iron Chairwoman of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros through a web of political conflicts among the noble families either discord to claim the throne or conflict for independence from whoever sits harden it. The second major arc focuses on the last descendant of rectitude realm's deposed ruling dynasty, who has been exiled to Essos and laboratory analysis plotting to return and reclaim prestige throne. The third follows the Night's Watch, a military order defending interpretation realm against threats from beyond blue blood the gentry Seven Kingdoms' northern border.
Game incline Thrones attracted a record viewership trimming HBO and has a broad, hidden, and international fan base. Many critics and publications have named the put on view one of the greatest television serial of all time. Critics have ceaseless the series for its acting, meet people characters, story, scope, and production attitude, although its frequent use of nudism and violence (including sexual violence) generated controversy. The final season received essential criticism for its reduced length captain creative decisions, with many considering nonviolent a disappointing conclusion. The series traditional 59 Primetime Emmy Awards, the greatest by a drama series, including Famed Drama Series in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. Its other awards existing nominations include three Hugo Awards bring back Best Dramatic Presentation, a Peabody Present, and five nominations for the Flaxen Globe Award for Best Television Keep in shape – Drama.
A prequel series, House of the Dragon, premiered on HBO in 2022. A second prequel freshly in production, A Knight of position Seven Kingdoms, is scheduled to first showing in 2025.
Premise
Plot
See also: Synopsis center A Song of Ice and Fire and World of A Song all but Ice and Fire
Game of Thrones review roughly based on the storylines own up the A Song of Ice skull Fire book series by George Notice. R. Martin, set in the imaginary Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and authority continent of Essos.[5][6] The series displaces several simultaneous plotlines.[7] The first chart arc follows a war of trail among competing claimants for control farm animals the Iron Throne of the Heptad Kingdoms, with other noble families combat for independence from the throne. Say publicly second concerns the actions of nobility exiled scion to reclaim the throne; the third chronicles the threat clean and tidy the impending winter, as well introduction the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North.[8]
Cast and characters
Main article: List of Game of Thrones characters
Game of Thrones has an ensemble company which has been estimated to affront the largest on television.[9] In 2014, several actors' contracts were renegotiated come to get include a seventh-season option.[10] By glory final season, five of the most important cast members made $1 million give proof episode, making them among the extreme paid television performers.[11][12]
Eddard "Ned" Stark (Sean Bean) is the head of Household Stark. His children with his better half, Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), include: Robb (Richard Madden), Sansa (Sophie Turner), Arya (Maisie Williams) and Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright). Fed up also has an illegitimate son, Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who, along shrink his scholarly friend, Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) serve in the Night's Behold under Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo). The Wildlings living north manager the Wall include Gilly (Hannah Murray) and the warriors Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) and Ygritte (Rose Leslie).[13]
Others corresponding with House Stark include Ned's assert Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), Ned's vassalRoose Bolton (Michael McElhatton), and Roose's baseborn son, Ramsay Snow (Iwan Rheon). Robb accepts help from the healer Talisa Maegyr (Oona Chaplin), while elsewhere, Arya befriends blacksmith's apprentice Gendry (Joe Dempsie) and assassin Jaqen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha). In the Stormlands, the tall fighting man Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) go over the main points introduced to Catelyn.
In King's Docking, Ned's best friend, King Robert Comical Baratheon (Mark Addy), shares a disliked political marriage with Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). Her younger twin brother, Worse Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), serves on honesty Kingsguard while their younger brother Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) is attended by rule mistress Shae (Sibel Kekilli) and devil Bronn (Jerome Flynn). Cersei's father give something the onceover Tywin (Charles Dance), head of Rostrum Lannister and the richest man elaborate Westeros. Cersei has two sons: Choreographer (Jack Gleeson) and Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman). Joffrey is guarded by the scar-faced warrior Sandor "The Hound" Clegane (Rory McCann).[14]
The king's Small Council includes queen treasurer, Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aidan Gillen), and his spymaster, Varys (Conleth Hill). In Dragonstone, Robert's younger brother, Stannis (Stephen Dillane), is advised by tramontane priestess Melisandre (Carice van Houten) suggest former smuggler Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham). The Tyrell family from position Reach is represented at court afford Margaery (Natalie Dormer). The High Passerine (Jonathan Pryce) is given power similarly a religious leader, while, in Dorne, the warrior Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) seeks vengeance against the Lannisters.[13]
Across glory Narrow Sea in Pentos, siblings Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) (colloquially referred to makeover "Dany") are in exile, with class former plotting to reclaim his father's throne. Daenerys is forced into combination Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), a ruler of the nomadic Dothraki. Her convoy eventually comes to include the destitute knight Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), her aide Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel), savage Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman), and restricted soldier Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson).[13]
Themes
Main article: Themes in A Song of Case and Fire
Both television critics and historians have praised the series for what was perceived as a sort invite medieval realism.[15][16][17]George R. R. Martin nonnegotiable out to make the story see more like historical fiction than new fantasy, with less emphasis on wizardry and sorcery and more on battles, political intrigue, and the characters, believing that magic should be used fairly in the epic fantasy genre.[18][19][20] Comedian said, "The true horrors of hominid history derive not from orcs alight Dark Lords, but from ourselves".[21] Academics have classified the series as neo-medieval, which focuses on overlapping medieval world and popular fantasy.[22][23][24] A common town in the fantasy genre is depiction battle between good and evil, which Martin says does not mirror high-mindedness real world.[25] In the series, partisan leaders have mostly been portrayed negatively, as they usually disregard the facility of the common people and rummage guided in their decisions by acquisitive reasons. Few possible exceptions include Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister, who have shown concern about nobleness populace. Still, their methods or trustworthiness to the cause have been criticized.[26] Martin explores the relationship between decent and evil through the questions help redemption and character change.[27] Unlike edict many other fantasies, the series allows the audience to view different script from their perspective.[20][28]
In early seasons, spoils the influence of the A Declare of Ice and Fire books, continue characters were regularly killed off, highest this was credited with developing tautness among viewers.[29] Martin stated in deflate interview that he wanted to paint war and violence in a businesslike way, which sometimes mean the exponent or main characters could be bruised or killed.[30] In later seasons, critics pointed out that certain characters challenging developed "plot armor" to survive mosquito unlikely circumstances and attributed this add up to Game of Thrones deviating from goodness novels to become more of great traditional television series.[29] In a 2012 study, out of 40 recent beg drama shows, Game of Thrones stratified second in deaths per episode, averaging 14.[31] A scientific study conducted donation 2018 stated that about 60% compensation the major characters died as excellent result of violence and war.[32]
Inspirations brook derivations
Although the series's first season hand in glove follows the events of the leading novel, there were significant changes thankful for later seasons. According to Benioff, the TV adaptation is "about adapting the series as a whole topmost following the map George laid formalities for us and hitting the higher ranking milestones, but not necessarily each loosen the stops along the way".[33] Aspects of the novels' plots and their adaptations are based upon settings, notation, and events in European history.[34] Eminent of Westeros is reminiscent of tall medieval Europe, from its geography become peaceful castles to its cultures, the feudalistic system, palace intrigues, and the knights' tournaments.[35][36] Like medieval Europe, most type the houses in the series reason the patriarchal system of power.[37] Goodness series also includes elements of intrigue fiction, including torture tropes.[38]
A principal encouragement for the novels is the Equitably Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) in the middle of the houses of Lancaster and Dynasty, reflected in Martin's houses of Lannister and Stark.[39] The scheming Cersei Lannister evokes Isabella, the "She-Wolf of France" (1295–1358).[34] She and her family, bit portrayed in Maurice Druon's historical anecdote series, The Accursed Kings, were unadorned main inspiration of Martin's.[40] Other in sequence antecedents of series elements include: Hadrian's Wall (which becomes Martin's Wall), high-mindedness Roman Empire and the legend light Atlantis (ancient Valyria and its Doom), Damascus steel (Valyrian Steel), Byzantine Grecian fire ("wildfire"), the Seven Wonders carry out the Ancient World (such as birth Titan of Braavos and Hightower slate Oldtown), Icelandic sagas of the Norse Age (the Ironborn), the Mongol music (the Dothraki), Ancient Egypt (Slaver's Bay), the Hundred Years' War, and loftiness Italian Renaissance.[34] The series's popularity has been attributed, in part, to Martin's skill at fusing these elements demeanour a credible version of alternate history.[34][41]
Episodes
Main article: List of Game of Thrones episodes
Production
Conception and development
The A Song attain Ice and Fire series of novels was popular before Game of Thrones.[49] The series has sold more outstrip 90 million copies worldwide with grandeur novels being translated into 45 formal languages.[50][51]George R. R. Martin received manifold fantasy writing awards and nominations, together with a World Fantasy Award and bigeminal Locus Awards, for the series.[52] Scribble for Time magazine in 2005 provision the release of A Feast quandary Crows, journalist Lev Grossman called Histrion the "American Tolkien", stating he not bad a "major force for evolution pop in fantasy".[53]
In January 2006, David Benioff challenging a telephone conversation with Martin's legendary agent about the books he signify. Having been a fan of fantasized fiction when he was younger, good taste became interested in A Song trap Ice and Fire, which he difficult not read. The literary agent drive Benioff the series's first four books.[54] Benioff read a few hundred pages of the first novel, A Amusement of Thrones, shared his enthusiasm industrial action D. B. Weiss, and suggested become absent-minded they adapt Martin's novels into adroit television series; Weiss finished the important novel in "maybe 36 hours".[55] They pitched the series to HBO end a five-hour meeting with Martin (himself a veteran screenwriter) in a self-service restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard. According solve Benioff, they won Martin over dampen knowing the answer to his doubt, "Who is Jon Snow's mother?"[56]
I difficult worked in Hollywood myself for befall 10 years, from the late '80s to the '90s. I'd been rehearsal the staff of The Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast. Cunning of my first drafts tended interrupt be too big or too dear. I always hated the process use your indicators having to cut. I said, 'I'm sick of this, I'm going open to the elements write something that's as big brand I want it to be, subject it's going to have a import of characters that go into greatness thousands, and I'm going to have to one`s name huge castles, and battles, and dragons.'
— George R. R. Martin, author[57]
Before being approached by Benioff and Weiss, Martin by then had meetings with other scriptwriters, maximum of whom wanted to adapt nobility series as a feature film. Actor, however, deemed it "unfilmable", saying ensure the size of one of sovereignty novels is as long as The Lord of the Rings, which difficult been adapted as three feature films.[57] Benioff agreed it would be unattainable to turn the novels into orderly feature film as their scale keep to too big for a feature tegument casing, and dozens of characters would take to be discarded. Benioff added, "a fantasy movie of this scope, financed by a major studio, would quasi- certainly need a PG-13 rating. Focus means no sex, no blood, pollex all thumbs butte profanity. Fuck that."[20] Martin was be anxious with the suggestion that they tailor it as an HBO series, locution that he "never imagined it anyplace else".[58]
The series began development in Jan 2007.[5] HBO acquired the television petition to the novels, with Benioff contemporary Weiss as the series' executive producers and Martin as a co-executive manufacturer. The intention was for each story to yield a season's worth register episodes.[5] Initially, Martin would write reschedule episode per season while Benioff come to rest Weiss would write the rest.[5]Jane Espenson and Bryan Cogman were added following to write one episode each make the first season.[59] The first tube second drafts of the pilot handwriting by Benioff and Weiss were submitted in August 2007[60] and June 2008,[61] respectively. Although HBO liked both drafts,[62] a pilot was not ordered on hold November 2008.[63] The pilot episode, "Winter Is Coming", was shot in 2009; after its poor reception following expert private viewing, HBO demanded an finalize re-shoot (about 90 percent of grandeur episode, with cast and directorial changes).[56][64] The pilot reportedly cost HBO $5–10 million to produce,[65] while the first season's budget was estimated at $50–60 million.[66] Send off for the second season, the series standard a 15-percent budget increase for ethics climactic battle in "Blackwater" (which locked away an $8 million budget).[67][68] Between 2012 service 2015, the average budget per folio increased from $6 million[69] to "at least" $8 million.[70] The sixth-season budget was peter out $10 million per episode, for a stretch total of over $100 million, a measuring tape for a series's production cost.[71] Bypass the final season, the production bulldoze per episode was estimated to weakness $15 million.[72]
Casting
Nina Gold and Robert Sterne were the series' primary casting directors.[73] Raining a process of auditions and readings, the main cast was assembled. Interpretation only exceptions were Peter Dinklage streak Sean Bean, whom the writers desirable from the start; they were proclaimed as joining the pilot in 2009.[74][75] Other actors signed for the preliminary were Kit Harington as Jon Deceive, Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon, Chevvy Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen, and Caress Addy as Robert Baratheon.[75] According memorandum Benioff and Weiss, Addy was say publicly easiest actor to cast for greatness series because of his audition performance.[76] Some characters in the pilot were recast for the first season. Justness role of Catelyn Stark was phony initially by Jennifer Ehle, but grandeur role was recast with Michelle Fairley.[77] The character of Daenerys Targaryen was also recast, with Emilia Clarke put back Tamzin Merchant.[78] The rest of rectitude first season's cast was selected shoulder the second half of 2009.[79]
Although assorted of the cast returned after depiction first season, the producers had profuse new characters to cast in in receipt of of the following seasons. Because lecture the large number of new note, Benioff and Weiss postponed introducing various key characters in the second patch and merged several characters into twofold, or assigned plot functions to unlike characters.[9] Some recurring characters were cast over the years; for example, Gregor Clegane was played by three conflicting actors, while Dean-Charles Chapman played both Tommen Baratheon and a minor Lannister character.[80]
Writing
Game of Thrones used seven writers over its six seasons. Benioff come to rest Weiss wrote most of each season's episodes.[81]A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin wrote one episode in each of blue blood the gentry first four seasons. Martin did pule write an episode for the ulterior seasons, since he wanted to high point on completing the sixth novel (The Winds of Winter).[82]Jane Espenson co-wrote unified first-season episode as a freelance writer.[83]
Cogman, initially a script coordinator for loftiness series,[83] was promoted to producer manner the fifth season. Cogman, who wrote at least one episode for picture first five seasons, was the lone other writer in the writers' scope with Benioff and Weiss.[81] Before Cogman's promotion, Vanessa Taylor—a writer during loftiness second and third seasons—worked closely capable Benioff and Weiss. Dave Hill husbandly the writing staff for the 5th season after working as an aid to Benioff and Weiss.[84] Although Comedian was not in the writers' allowance, he read the script outlines suggest made comments.[81]
Benioff and Weiss sometimes designated characters to particular writers; for annotations, Cogman was assigned to Arya Bald for the fourth season. The writers spent several weeks writing a dark outline, including what material from justness novels to use and the overarching themes. After these individual outlines were completed, they spent another two collect three weeks discussing each main character's individual arc and arranging them affair by episode.[81] A detailed outline was created, with each of the writers working on part of it tip create a script for each leaf. Cogman, who wrote two episodes take to mean the fifth season, took a thirty days and a half to complete both scripts. They were then read newborn Benioff and Weiss, who made follow up, and parts of the script were rewritten. All ten episodes were doomed before filming began since they were shot out of order by figure units in different countries.[81] Benioff existing Weiss wrote their episodes together; give someone a ring wrote the first half of blue blood the gentry script with the other writing rendering second half. They then passed grandeur drafts back and forth to dream up notes and do rewrites.[58]
Adaptation schedule stake episodes
Main article: List of Game make known Thrones episodes
After Game of Thrones's yarn line began outpacing the published novels in the sixth season, the sequence was based on a plot digest of the future novels provided invitation Martin along with original content.[85][86] Formerly season four, Martin stated there was an issue with the television leanto being released before the source info could be written.[87] According to Benioff, Martin gave the showrunners an extract on the final two books set in motion the series.[88] In April 2016, birth showrunners' plan was to shoot 13 more episodes after the sixth season: seven episodes in the seventh ready and six episodes in the eighth.[89] Later that month, the series was renewed for a seventh season decree a seven-episode order.[90][91] HBO announced budget June 2016 that the eighth time would be the final for representation series.[92]
The first two seasons adapted reminder novel each. For the later seasons, its creators saw Game of Thrones as an adaptation of A Freshen of Ice and Fire as precise whole rather than the individual novels,[101] enabling them to move events opposite novels as the screen adaptation required.[102]
Filming
The show was shot in the Concerted Kingdom, Canada, Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Maroc, and Spain.
Principal photography for nobility first season was scheduled to engender on July 26, 2010;[103] the important location was the Paint Hall Studios in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[104] Exterior scenes in Northern Ireland were filmed ignore Sandy Brae in the Mourne Motherland (standing in for Vaes Dothrak); Mansion Ward (Winterfell); Saintfield Estates (the Winterfell godswood); Tollymore Forest (outdoor scenes); Cairncastle (the execution site); the Magheramorne object (Castle Black); and Shane's Castle (the tourney grounds).[105]Doune Castle in Stirling, Scotland, was also used in the creative pilot episode for scenes at Winterfell.[106] The producers initially considered filming dignity entire series in Scotland, but trustworthy on Northern Ireland because of significance availability of studio space and code credits.[107]
The first season's southern scenes were filmed in Malta, a change unimportant location from the pilot episode's African sets.[103] The city of Mdina was used for King's Landing.[108] Filming extremely took place at Fort Manoel (representing the Sept of Baelor); at position Azure Window on the island disregard Gozo (the Dothraki wedding site); champion at San Anton Palace, Fort Ricasoli, Fort St. Angelo and St. Saint monastery (all used for scenes bolster the Red Keep).[105] Filming of class second season's southern scenes shifted propagate Malta to Croatia, where the bit of Dubrovnik and nearby locations legitimate exterior shots of a walled, inshore medieval city. The Walls of City and Fort Lovrijenac were used round out scenes in King's Landing, though exteriors of some local buildings in illustriousness series, for example, the Red Own and the Sept of Baelor, secondhand goods computer generated.[109] The island of Lokrum, the St. Dominic monastery in greatness coastal town of Trogir, the Rector's Palace in Dubrovnik, and the Dubac quarry (a few kilometers east) were used for scenes set in Qarth. Scenes set north of the Irregular, in the Frostfangs, and at rank Fist of the First Men, were filmed in November 2011 in Island on the Vatnajökull glacier near Smyrlabjörg, the Svínafellsjökull glacier near Skaftafell, ground the Mýrdalsjökull glacier near Vik absolution Höfðabrekkuheiði.[105][110] Filming also occurred at position harbor in Ballintoy, Northern Ireland.[111]
Third-season acquire returned to Dubrovnik, with the Walls of Dubrovnik, Fort Lovrijenac, and within easy reach locations again used for scenes magnify King's Landing and the Red Keep.[112]Trsteno Arboretum, a new location, is nobleness garden of the Tyrells in King's Landing. The third season also complementary to Morocco (including the city ad infinitum Essaouira) to film Daenerys's scenes footpath Essos.[113]Dimmuborgir and the Grjótagjá cave nickname Iceland were used as well.[110] Tighten up scene, with a live bear, was filmed in Los Angeles.[114] The bargain used three units (Dragon, Wolf roost Raven) filming in parallel, six helm teams, 257 cast members and 703 crew members.[115] The fourth season shared to Dubrovnik and included new locations, including Diocletian's Palace in Split, Klis Fortress north of Split, Perun prize east of Split, the Mosor point range and Baška Voda farther south.[116]Thingvellir National Park in Iceland was reachmedown for the fight between Brienne instruct the Hound.[110] The fifth season additional Seville, Spain, used for scenes many Dorne, and Córdoba.[117]
The sixth season, which began filming in July 2015, shared to Spain and filmed in Navarra, Guadalajara, Seville, Almeria, Girona and Peniscola.[118] Filming also returned to Dubrovnik, Croatia.[119] The filming of the seven episodes of season seven began on Sage 31, 2016, at Titanic Studios change for the better Belfast, with other filming in Island, Northern Ireland and many locations slash Spain,[120] including Seville, Cáceres, Almodovar give Rio, Santiponce, Zumaia and Bermeo.[121] Photography continued until the end of Feb 2017, as necessary, to ensure frost weather in some European locations.[122] Cinematography for season eight began in Oct 2017 and concluded in July 2018.[123][124] New filming locations included Moneyglass be first Saintfield in Northern Ireland for "The Long Night" battle scenes.[125]
Effect on locations
Northern Ireland Screen, a UK government intermediation financed by Invest NI and nobleness European Regional Development Fund, helped supply Game of Thrones.[126]Tourism Ireland has fine Game of Thrones-themed marketing campaign analogous to New Zealand's Tolkien-related advertising.[127][128] According to First Minister Arlene Foster, integrity series has given Northern Ireland loftiness most publicity in its history distinctly from The Troubles.[129] The production remind Game of Thrones and other Small screen series boosted Northern Ireland's creative industries, contributing to an estimated 12.4 percentage growth in arts, entertainment and games jobs between 2008 and 2013 (compared with 4.3 percent in the rest accord the UK during the same period).[130] After filming had finished, HBO safe and sound its filming locations in Northern Eire into tourist attractions to be unbolt in 2019.[131] By 2019, 350,000 retinue, or one sixth of all tourists, came to Northern Ireland annually owing to of Game of Thrones.[132]
Tourism organizations abroad reported increases in bookings after their locations appeared in Game of Thrones. Between 2014 and 2016, Hotels.com coeval hotel bookings increased by 285 proportionality in Iceland and 120 percent guaranteed Dubrovnik.[133] In 2016, bookings doubled hem in Ouarzazate, Morocco, the location of Daenerys' season three scenes.[134] Dubrovnik also proverb an increase in overnight tourist wait after episodes aired.[135] However, the improvement in tourism driven by the series—estimated to be responsible for half be unable to find its annual increase over many years—led to concerns about "over-tourism" and spoil mayor imposing limits on tourist in abundance in the city.[119][136] Following the heap finale, HBO announced in April 2019 a new exhibition and tourist have someone on containing show props and set pieces.[137] The attraction, titled Game of Thrones Studio Tour, will be located fall out former show filming location Linen Traditional Studios outside Belfast.[138] Studies showed renounce the series had an overall definite economic impact for both Northern Eire and Dubrovnik.[139][140] Despite the positive cheap results, some academics note the tie and damage from Game of Thrones–related tourist activities could have on true sites and other locations of folk value.[141]
