Season 5 Casting, News and Speculation V 6 [show spoilers]

[Janicia]

One major problem with making 8 seasons at this point is that character arcs would stop corresponding to seasons, which would be pretty terrible. Books 4 and 5 have roughly one arc for each character, though GRRM gave a little bit of extra material in a few cases (Jaime/Brienne), and didn't actually finish some of the arcs (Tyrion, Dany, Bolton, Manderly, Stannis). For an 8 season plan, the material would be used along the lines of: season 5 covering 2/3rds of books 4-5, season 6 finished books 4-5 and starting book 6, season 7 finishes book 6 and starts book 7, and then season 8 ends book 7 - that just sounds like a huge mess to me.

Most of the season 5 arcs are plodding along in a frustrating way at the 2/3rds point - ending the season there would make for a terrible season. And then season 6 would be distinctly weird - starting with a huge flurry of activity and then petering out in mid book 6 material. And so on.

Just because there is a ton of material doesn't mean that it it should be mis-shapen and stretched across seasons willy-nilly.

[+cassius]

7 seasons are ideal for show watchers only

not so much for us book readers

[Janicia]

7 seasons are ideal for show watchers only

not so much for us book readers

Having read the books doesn't mean we want weird character arcs and season pacing on the show.

[+cassius]

Having read the books doesn't mean we want weird character arcs and season pacing on the show.

if they keep to 7 seasons, chunks of book content wont be included.

[sj4iy]

7 seasons are ideal for show watchers only

not so much for us book readers

I'm a book reader and a show watcher.

I'm absolutely fine with 7 seasons and don't see why they should draw it out to fit in more unnecessary details from the books.

[alienarea]

if they keep to 7 seasons, chunks of book content wont be included.

Mayhaps this is a blessing. If they would have been included, we might have gotten bored.

[Hippocras]

So...if Euron is season 6, some thoughts on how it might work:

1. Yara will be Stannis's captive by the end of season 5. During the season she might have a scene with Balon, or maybe we will get the Reader. Anyway, one or the other will send her or persuade her to go back to the North to defend the IB holdings there. Her father might demand it as a way to prove she deserves to be his heir, angry at her failure at the Dreadfort. If either her or Theon or both get away from Stannis alive in the books and have more story ahead, they also will in the show in season 5 - which would mean they are part of the resistance to Euron's kingship in WoW. Also, it is still unclear if there is a fArya, but if not Theon will probably rescue Yara at some point.

2. The Kingsmoot will be impossible in the form we saw in the books. Instead Euron will be introduced simply as the guy who claimed the seat. He actually did this in the books too - waltzed in and declared himself King. There was only ever a Kingsmoot because his brother the Damphair didn't like the idea of Euron as King and dreamed up a way to try to stop it. He thought Vic would win. So with no Vic, the argument for having a Kingsmoot at all is actually gone. It never would have happened without Damphair backing Vic.

3. Euron's name will be dropped in season 5, as well as possibly some context to start setting up the IB attack on the Reach. This could easily be done in scenes with Yara at Deepwood Motte before Stannis takes it. We will get a sense that Euron is not such a great guy. However we will only meet Euron in person in the beginning of season 6. I think we might see Balon's murder though, by some extra in a black hooded cloak.

4. The dragon horn might still be in the show but if so it will get to Meereen some way other than Vic, who does not exist. Instead, Euron's warlock connection will be evident, and the warlocks will probably be behind the horn's voyage to Meereen. Because the battle for Meereen will not be in season 5, there is time to introduce the horn in time for when it is needed in season 6.

5. By the end of season 5 the replacement fAegon storyline will be good to go and probably involves Trystane and Dorne. Sam will be on the way to the Citadel to become a maester, maybe having spent some season 5 time in Braavos or maybe not, however we will not see Oldtown or the Vitadel until season 6. Season 5, Balon will be dead and Euron said to have taken his chair. The battle for Winterfell will be over, possibly taking us into book spoiler territory in the North if its resolution is clear. IMO, Stannis's future strategy will involve the Iron Islands and he intends to use his IB captives carefully. If so, this will be set up.

6. Season 6 will then be able to jump directly into Sam's story in Oldtown, fAegon/Trystane taking the Stormlands, Euron planning his assault on the Kingdoms, Sansa's mystery story ready to make a big move, Arya and Bran completing their training and rejoining the main story (with Bran in some way fighting the Others and Arya probably linking up with Dany's story), Dany will get reaquainted with the Dothraki, and Stannis's future moves will take shape in the North. IMO Euron in the Reach will be key to season 6, and this is because it will give Camp Dorne a major obstacle, break the Lannister-Tyrell alliance for good and give Sam a significant role to play in the events of the Kingdoms. It will also mean the King of the Ironborn is not around to defend the Islands leaving them open for Stannis or Yara/Theon or both together to claim them and take away his base.

[titanx5]

I'm ok with 7 season, perhaps an extended 7th season perhaps 13 episodes. The thing is that its extremely popular now, but a show can run into fatigue, which has happened in a lot of series. So I think D&D want to avoid this, and leave it on a high, which I think it will

[PrinceOfWesteros]

8 Seasons fits perfectly IMO. I still hope they change their mind in the end. Or 7 Seasons and a movie is a good possibility too since I highly doubt that a TV show can handle the Battle against the others. We shall see.

[Hippocras]

How many seasons the story needs depends entirely on two books that are not out yet.

The current books can be fit just fine, especially if fAegon is cut.

[Colonel Green]

Exactly. Now how are D&D going to convince HBO to end GoT with the 7th season when there's enough material to make more?

HBO allows its creators to end shows when they want to. D&D wouldn't be talking about seven seasons, down from eight, if HBO wasn't fine with that.

For that matter, I don't think it's correct that HBO would necessarily want more seasons, and indeed, they may well be one reason for the switch from eight to seven. Cast costs will balloon for a hypothetical eighth season, and on a show where the other aspects of production continue to get more expensive, that may well be prohibitive, in the network's eyes.

[MR92]

Supposedly

Ian McElhinney ,Gemma Whelan and Art Parkinson were at Belfast Film & Comic Con this last Sat. and Sun.

Anybody find anything out?

Interesting that Gemma and Art where in Belfast...

why is ian in belfast? have we seen a single picture of him with danys crew yet?

[boojam]

why is ian in belfast? have we seen a single picture of him with danys crew yet?

We have a picture of him in Croatia back in September. His shooting may be over , tho methinks there are a number of Meereen interiors to shoot , all which seem to be done in Belfast.

[jentario]

^He was spotted with Grey Worm in Croatia and filmed scenes in Belfast. But neither of them were seen at the Daznak Pit- so they're either off doing something else or they're dead. I'm guessing the scene they filmed together either takes place around the Daznak scene, or they both die there and it's from an earlier episode.

[boojam]

HBO allows its creators to end shows when they want to. D&D wouldn't be talking about seven seasons, down from eight, if HBO wasn't fine with that.

For that matter, I don't think it's correct that HBO would necessarily want more seasons, and indeed, they may well be one reason for the switch from eight to seven. Cast costs will balloon for a hypothetical eighth season, and on a show where the other aspects of production continue to get more expensive, that may well be prohibitive, in the network's eyes.

If season 6 tops season 5 which will probably top season 4 HBO will have plenty of dough in the war chest for even a season 9!

[MR92]

I'm ok with 7 season, perhaps an extended 7th season perhaps 13 episodes. The thing is that its extremely popular now, but a show can run into fatigue, which has happened in a lot of series. So I think D&D want to avoid this, and leave it on a high, which I think it will

d+d also have said several times how exhausted they are with this show...they want to end on 7...they have set the stage for ending it in 7 seasons and i think they will stick with it...unfortunate for book readers (some)...but yah i can definitely see show watchers getting bored/sick of dany not getting to westeros...or people not crossing paths (dany and tyrion)...seeing more of their favorite characters die...speeding things up works for the show...sort of

[Janicia]

What we know so far is that season 5 isn’t going to do much with the Iron Born. So I doubt that Yara will get more than a scene before she meets Stannis. The show has been very sparing with Yara in the past, there is no reason to think they’d give her anything more than a bare minimum of material in this already crowded season. The theories that have Yara travelling around the North / Iron Islands before being captured by Stannis are assuming way too much Yara screen time.

1. Yara will be Stannis's captive by the end of season 5.

6. Season 6 will then be able to jump directly into Sam's story in Oldtown, fAegon/Trystane taking the Stormlands, Euron planning his assault on the Kingdoms, Sansa's mystery story ready to make a big move, Arya and Bran completing their training and rejoining the main story (with Bran in some way fighting the Others and Arya probably linking up with Dany's story), Dany will get reaquainted with the Dothraki, and Stannis's future moves will take shape in the North. IMO Euron in the Reach will be key to season 6, and this is because it will give Camp Dorne a major obstacle, break the Lannister-Tyrell alliance for good and give Sam a significant role to play in the events of the Kingdoms. It will also mean the King of the Ironborn is not around to defend the Islands leaving them open for Stannis or Yara/Theon or both together to claim them and take away his base.

The battle of Deepwood Motte isn’t a great moment for anybody – its just kind of sad and embarrassing for Asha /Yara and it isn’t much of a triumph for Stannis. The battle from the books wasn’t very entertaining. The only important outcome of the battle is that Asha/Yara is captured by Stannis. It seems so cut-able – why throw resources at an unimportant, non-exciting battle that doesn’t include any main characters?

I think Yara will abruptly show up in Stannis’ mid season storyline. Maybe she decides to partner with an enemy of her enemies. Maybe Stannis captures her after a small battle.

I agree that Euron will probably be mentioned a couple of times in season 5. Balon could die in season 5, either on screen or with somebody getting a letter about it, but there is also a logic to holding off on Balon’s death until Euron actually shows up.

I agree that Euron is probably showing up in season 6 as Hippocras describes. It makes a lot of sense – Roose and Cersei’s stars may be fading by then (or Roose will turn out to be so awesome that people are rooting for him), so the show will be due for a new antagonist. While introducing new protagonists in later seasons is iffy, it is normal to introduce a new season 6 antagonist.

[MR92]

^He was spotted with Grey Worm in Croatia and filmed scenes in Belfast. But neither of them were seen at the Daznak Pit- so they're either off doing something else or they're dead. I'm guessing the scene they filmed together either takes place around the Daznak scene, or they both die there and it's from an earlier episode.

i really would not be okay with grey worm or barristan dying this season...i kno wits highly speculated barristan will bite the dust in winds, and im cool with him dying in season 6...but danys camp has been and is already so small..yes yess 8000 unsullied and 2000? second sons...but i mean whatever dothraki she has left and then her counselors....plus i feel like barristan hasnt really done anything in the show so far...besides make a few faces at danys decisions and save her from a manticore

[MR92]

^^^i feel like yara hasnt served ANY purpose on the show...like 0...

[larastone]

I'm perfectly fine with 7 seasons. I've accepted that the books and show are separate entities at this point, whatever I just don't really care anymore. I just want an ending.