Season 7 of Game of Thrones was formally commissioned by HBO on 21 April 2016.
The season consists of ten episodes. Filming commenced in Belfast on August 31, 2016 and continued through February 2017 for a May 7, 2017 release. Producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss confirmed that Season 7 will be both filmed and released later than past seasons of Game of Thrones. This is mainly due to the desire to accurately depict the winter that now grips Westeros
The season premiered on June 4, 2017.
Like the sixth season, Season 7 is based on an outline of the two final, presently-unpublished novels in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring.
Plot
Cersei Lannister is now Queen of the Seven Kingdoms after eliminating her enemies in the capital and, unwittingly, driving her son to suicide.
Balon Greyjoy, King of the Iron Islands, has been murdered.
Euron Greyjoy, Balon's younger brother and killer, usurps the Salt Throne.
In response to Euron's treachery, Theon and Yara Greyjoy seal an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen.
With help from Varys, Daenerys secures help from House Tyrell and Dorne.
However, the death of Myrcella Baratheon could come back to haunt Dorne now that her uncle Tyrion Lannister is Daenerys's Hand of the Queen.
With Ramsay Bolton executed, House Bolton has been eradicated.
Jon Snow is declared the new King in the North.
Samwell Tarly has reached Oldtown to begin training as a maester.
Daenerys Targaryen sets sail for Westeros with her army.
Bran Stark has barely escaped back to the Wall after being attacked by Night King and White Walkers.
Though Bran has learned a great deal through his visions of the past and the future, one has left him with a shocking revelation in the form of the truth behind Jon Snow's parentage: he is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.
After a summer lasting almost ten years, Westeros now braces itself for an equally-harsh winter, in more ways than one.
In King's Landing, Cersei Lannister has finally seized the power that she has craved for many years. In one swift move, she has eliminated nearly all of her enemies, rivals, and obstructions; Queen Margaery Tyrell, Lord Mace Tyrell, Ser Loras Tyrell, Cersei's uncle Kevan Lannister, Grand Maester Pycelle, the High Sparrow and most of - if not all of - the members of the Faith Militant were killed when the Great Sept of Baelor was destroyed using large amounts of wildfire, an event orchestrated by Cersei. She has crowned herself the undisputed Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, with Qyburn as her Hand and the undead knight Ser Gregor Clegane at her side. After nearly four decades of serving as the power behind the throne, House Lannister has finally become the new royal house. However, Cersei is still haunted by the prophecy she was told during her childhood, which claimed that the deaths of her three (future) children would predate her own; Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are all dead, Tommen having taken his own life shortly after the Sept's destruction. This has made Cersei all the more determined to crush her enemies once and for all, but the number of her enemies has just increased exponentially; though she now sits on the Iron Throne, her actions have undoubtedly earned her the hatred of all of Westeros. Most of the realm is either in open rebellion against the Iron Throne or has fallen out of her allies' control, leaving Cersei effectively as the Queen of King's Landing and the Westerlands (the region governed by House Lannister). It is the beginning of the end.
In the Riverlands, the last bastion of Robb Stark's independent Northern/Riverland Kingdom, Riverrun, has fallen to House Lannister and House Frey in a siege led by Ser Jaime Lannister. Edmure Tully, who had been held hostage by the Freys ever since the Red Wedding, ordered the Tully garrison to stand down for the sake of his wife and child, whom Jaime had violently threatened. Edmure's uncle, Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully, is dead, having chosen to fight to the death rather than surrender Riverrun. Brienne of Tarth and her squire, Podrick Payne, were only barely able to escape the fall of Riverrun, following their failed attempt to recruit the Blackfish to assist Sansa Stark in reclaiming Winterfell from House Bolton.
Although House Frey has reclaimed Riverrun, Lord Walder Frey is also dead. Arya Stark, despite nearly being killed by the Waif, has completed her training as a Faceless Man in the Free City of Braavos. With her original mission clearly back in focus, she swiftly abandoned the Order and has returned to Westeros to cross more names off of her list of vengeance. She killed Walder for orchestrating the Red Wedding that claimed the lives of her mother, brother, and pregnant sister-in-law, leaving the rule of the Riverlands in unknown hands. Also, Sandor "The Hound" Clegane has survived his brutal fight with Brienne of Tarth and attempted to build a new, humble life, but has been dragged back into conflict by the Brotherhood Without Banners, who intend to head north to fight in the war that is coming.
On the Iron Islands, King Balon Greyjoy is dead, having been murdered by his psychopathic brother, Euron Greyjoy. Balon's son, Theon, returned to the Iron Islands after helping Sansa Stark escape from Ramsay Bolton and endorsed his elder sister, Yara, as their father's successor at the subsequent Kingsmoot. However, Euron has claimed the Salt Throne by promising an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen, which he will use to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. In desperation, Theon and Yara have stolen a hundred ships from the Iron Fleet and, with sailors and soldiers loyal to them, sought out Daenerys's help first. They have managed to secure an alliance between House Targaryen and House Greyjoy to help Daenerys retake the Iron Throne and overthrow Euron. Euron, however, has ordered the construction of an even bigger fleet to destroy all who may stand in his way.
Also aiding Daenerys are the Dornish and the Tyrells. In Dorne, Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes have staged a coup; they have murdered Prince Doran Martell and his heir, Trystane, and taken control of Dorne in retaliation for Doran's inaction against House Lannister for their crimes towards House Martell. With Cersei declaring war against the Sands for the murder of Myrcella, Ellaria has turned to Daenerys and her loyalists to help bring the Lannisters down. However, Tyrion Lannister, Myrcella's uncle and now serving as Hand of the Queen to Daenerys, may demand justice against the Sands for murdering his niece in cold blood. Lady Olenna Tyrell has met with Ellaria and the Sand Snakes, a meeting facilitated by Varys. Although skeptical of their motives (and wary that they essentially murdered their own family to seize power), Olenna is grief-stricken and incensed by the deaths of her son, grandson, and granddaughter. No longer caring about her own survival, she pledges House Tyrell's forces to Daenerys in the hope of revenge.
In the North, Jon Snow and Sansa Stark, aided by Ser Davos Seaworth, Tormund, and Lady Lyanna Mormont, have defeated Ramsay Bolton and reclaimed Winterfell. Their victory was also due in large part to the Knights of the Vale, courtesy of Lord Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. However, the future of House Stark is left in question: with Robb and Rickon dead, and Bran believed dead as well, the Northern Lords have turned to Jon and named him the new King in the North, while Sansa has rejected Littlefinger's proposal to help him take the Iron Throne and become his queen. Given that Littlefinger was instrumental in the outbreak of the War of the Five Kings (by conspiring with Lysa Arryn to murder Jon Arryn, pit the Starks and Lannisters against each other, and throw Westeros into complete chaos), and that one of his initial goals was to become the new Warden of the North, Jon's ascension to King in the North is now a major obstacle in his master plan, setting the stage for a looming conflict between Jon and Littlefinger. Melisandre, meanwhile, has been dismissed from Jon's service following the discovery of her role in Shireen Baratheon's death, stripping Jon of easily one of his most valuable advisers. She is now heading south to locations unknown.
In the Reach, after navigating various obstacles, Samwell Tarly, Gilly, and her son have finally reached the Citadel in Oldtown, where Sam intends to train as a maester. He hopes to gain some insight into the White Walkers and how to defeat them. However, with Sam's theft of his family's Valyrian steel sword, Heartsbane, he will have undoubtedly incurred the immense wrath of his father; Randyll Tarly will now likely seek retribution, so Samwell must use the sword in his studies and uncover the secrets behind Valyrian steel for the coming battle against the dead, before all is lost.
Across the Narrow Sea, having at last defeated the Slave Masters and the Sons of the Harpy, Queen Daenerys Targaryen has finally set sail for Westeros. She has acquired an army consisting of the Unsullied, the Dothraki, and troops from House Greyjoy, House Tyrell, and Dorne. Tyrion Lannister serves at her side as Hand of the Queen, though at the cost of two of her advisors: Jorah Mormont, whom Daenerys has sent to find a cure for his spreading greyscale infection, and Daario Naharis, her lover whom Daenerys has ordered to stay behind with the Second Sons (on Tyrion's advice) so that she may pursue potential marriage alliances to aid her in her campaign. Unknown to Daenerys, however, there is somebody across the Narrow Sea who may very well have a stronger claim to the Iron Throne than she does, and who may prove to be her most valuable ally or her greatest enemy yet.
Beyond the Wall, Bran Stark has been training in his power of greensight under the tutelage of the Three-eyed raven and has learned some devastating secrets, such as origin of the White Walkers and the true parentage of his believed half-brother, Jon Snow: Jon is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, which would make him the nephew and a rival claimant to Daenerys Targaryen for the Iron Throne. Following an attack which claims the lives of the Three-eyed raven, Hodor, and the last of the Children of the Forest, Bran and Meera Reed have been rescued by Bran's undead uncle, Benjen Stark, and taken back to the Wall. There, Bran must prepare for the arrival of the Night King, who at all costs must be defeated before Westeros can dream of another spring.
Adaptation
All storylines in the TV series have surpassed the books as of "The Winds of Winter." The TV series adapted certain subplots out of sync with each other, thus while Jon Snow's storyline surpassed the books starting in the Season 6 premiere, other major subplots last season such as the Greyjoy subplot and Tully/Frey subplot were holdovers from other novels. Now even these remaining subplots have caught up. The Slaver's Bay storyline surpassed the novels in the preceding episodes.
- Two subplots were omitted from the TV show but won't be introduced now: when Tyrion flees east to get to Meereen it introduces a major new political shakeup happening in the Free Cities, while the Dorne subplot in Season 5 was drastically condensed, then outright abandoned at the beginning of Season 6. Because Dorne is close to the Free Cities, preview chapters for the next novel reveal that the Dorne and Free Cities subplots are going to combine with each other into one big subplot -- all of this was removed in the TV version.
- Jaime and Brienne each had about another chapter's worth of material involving running into the Brotherhood Without Banners in the Riverlands, but this subplot has also been omitted entirely thus far.
Production
Filming
In Northern Ireland, production began in August 2016. Interior shooting returned to the show's headquarters, the Paint Hall Studios in Belfast as well as Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge. Meanwhile, location shooting has taken place at the following locations so far: the Winterfell set in Moneyglass, the Saintfield Estate (for scenes in the Winterfell Godswood) as well as Ballintoy (previously Pyke), Murlough Bay (previously The Stormlands), and Fair Head in Country Antrim. The Dark Hedges in Stranocum, which were previously featured in Season 2, will also return to stand in for the Kingsroad.
In Spain, filming will take place from late October through December at various locations including Itzurun Beach in Zumaia, the Roman Ruins of Italica in Santiponce, the city of Cáceres, Castillo de Almodóvar del Río, Muriola Beach in Barrika, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe in Bermeo, Las Breñas and Barrueco de Arriba in Malpartida, and Las Atarazanas also known as the Royal Dockyards in Seville.
Producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have confirmed that season seven will be both filmed and released later than past seasons of Game of Thrones. This is mainly due to the desire to accurately depict the winter that now grips Westeros.
Cast
Starring cast
- Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister (8 episodes)
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister (8 episodes)
- Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister (8 episodes)
- Kit Harington as King Jon Snow (8 episodes)
- Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys Targaryen (8 episodes)
- Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth (8 episodes)
- Sophie Turner as Lady Sansa Stark (8 episodes)
- Aidan Gillen as Lord Petyr Baelish (7 episodes)
- Carice van Houten as Lady Melisandre (5 episodes)
- Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand (4 episodes)
- Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane (6 episodes)
- Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei (8 episodes)
- Maisie Williams as Princess Arya Stark (6 episodes)
- Conleth Hill as Varys (8 episodes)
- Alfie Allen as Prince Theon Greyjoy (7 episodes)
- John Bradley as Samwell Tarly (5 episodes)
- Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth (6 episodes)
- Jerome Flynn as Ser Bronn (6 episodes)
- Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Prince Bran Stark (7 episodes)
- Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane (8 episodes)
- Michiel Huisman as Daario Naharis (2 episodes)
- Hannah Murray as Gilly (5 episodes)
- Tom Wlaschiha as Jaqen H'ghar (6 episodes)
- Joe Dempsie as Gendry (5 episodes)
- with Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont (7 episodes)
Selected guest starring cast
- Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell
- Anton Lesser as Qyburn
- Joseph Mawle as Benjen Stark
- Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm
- Pilou Asbæk as King Euron Greyjoy
- Gemma Whelan as Princess Yara Greyjoy
- Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollet
- Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed
- Keisha Castle-Hughes as Obara Sand
- Rosabell Laurenti Sellers as Tyene Sand
- Jessica Henwick as Nymeria Sand
- Rupert Vansittart as Lord Yohn Royce
- Tim McInnerny as Lord Robett Glover
- Richard Dormer as Lord Beric Dondarrion
- Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr
- Tobias Menzies as Lord Emdure Tully
- Michael Feast as Aeron Greyjoy
- Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne
- Lino Facioli as Lord Robin Arryn
- Vladimir Furdik as the Night King
- Wayne Foskett as Lord Rickard Stark
- Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Ser Gregor Clegane
- Robert Aramayo as Lord Eddard Stark
- Luke Roberts as Ser Arthur Dayne
- Eddie Eyre as Ser Gerold Hightower
- Aisling Franciosi as Lady Lyanna Stark
- Frank Hvam as Citadel maester
- Bella Ramsay as Lady Lyanna Mormont
- Josephine Gillan as Marei
- Sean Blowers as Lord Wyman Manderly
- Tom Varey as Lord Cley Cerwyn
Deaths
- Citadel maester
- Lord Rickard Stark (Flashback)
- Brandon Stark (Flashback)
- Dickon Tarly
- Nymeria Sand
- Obara Sand
- Tyene Sand
- Marei
- Ellaria Sand
- Prince Rhaegar Targaryen (Flashback)
- Prince Aegon Targaryen (Flashback)
- Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Flashback)
- Princess Elia Martell (Flashback)
- Lord Robin Arryn
- Podrick Payne
- Lord Edmure Tully
- Ryger Rivers
- Lord Stevron Frey
- Daario Naharis
- Grey Worm
- Prince Theon Greyjoy
- Ser Gregor Clegane
- Grand Maester Qyburn
- Queen Cersei Lannister
- Queen Rhaella Targaryen (Flashback)
- "Jaqen H'ghar"
- Lord Petyr Baelish
- Dareon
- Eddison Tollet
Crew
Producers
- David Benioff: executive producer & showrunner
- D.B. Weiss: executive producer & showrunner
- Bernadette Caulfield: executive producer
- Frank Doelger: executive producer
- Carolyn Strauss: executive producer
- George R. R. Martin: co-executive producer
- Vince Gerardis: co-executive producer
- Guymon Casady: co-executive producer
- Greg Spence: producer
- Chris Newman: producer
- Lisa McAtackney: producer
- Bryan Cogman: supervising producer
- April Ferry: costume designer
- Deborah Riley: production designer
- Ramin Djawadi: composer
- Nina Gold: casting director
- Robert Sterne: casting director
Writers
- David Benioff & D.B. Weiss: episodes 1, 2, 9 and 10
- Dave Hill: episodes 3, 4 and 5
- Bryan Cogman: episodes 6, 7 and 8
Directors
- Alan Taylor: episodes 1 and 2
- Neil Marshall: episodes 3 and 4
- David Nutter: episodes 5 and 6
- Alik Sakharov: episodes 7 and 8
- Miguel Sapochnik: episodes 9 and 10
Episodes
| # | Image | Title | Airdate | Viewers/Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | 
|
"The Glorious Reign" | June 4, 2017 | 8.06 |
| Daenerys consults her council; Jaime questions Cersei's morals; Jon prepares for the wars to come. | ||||
| 62 | 
|
"The Neverborn" | June 11, 2017 | 7.77 |
| Jaime leads his men; Jon reunites with his brothers; Sansa contemplates; Arya heads north; Sam seeks truth in myth; Tyrion voices his mistrust. | ||||
| 63 | 
|
"The Lords of Winterfell" | June 18, 2017 | 7.85 |
| Jon rejects his birthright; Arya holds a grudge; Jorah finds hope; Jaime lays siege to Sunspear; Cersei exhibits her power. | ||||
| 64 | 
|
"Storm's End" | June 25, 2017 | 8.69 |
| Jaqen makes his move; Daenerys proves herself; Cersei is plagued by paranoia. | ||||
| 65 | 
|
"The Dornishman's Wife" | July 2, 2017 | 8.62 |
| Daenerys receives word from a sworn enemy; Ellaria pleads for mercy; Cersei suffers a betrayal; Jon departs for Riverrun; Melisandre keeps faith; Sam is thrust into danger. | ||||
| 66 | 
|
"The Kingslayer" | July 9, 2017 | 7.02 |
| Cersei is urged to retreat to Casterly Rock; Jon discusses battle strategy with Sansa; Bran visits the Riverlands; Jaime delivers terms of surrender. | ||||
| 67 | 
|
"Salt and Smoke" | July 16, 2017 | 8.40 |
| Jon sees the light; Bran observes the downfall of a dynasty; Daenerys takes what is hers with fire and blood; Cersei accepts a proposal. | ||||
| 68 | 
|
"A Time for Wolves" | July 23, 2017 | 8.03 |
| Littlefinger proclaims himself King in the North; Arya fights for her mother's home. | ||||
| 69 | 
|
"Hear Me Roar" | July 30, 2017 | 8.18 |
| Tyrion prepares for a family reunion; Jamie considers his options; Cersei denies her fate; Daenerys conquers; Theon settles a feud. | ||||
| 70 | 
|
"The Black Dread" | August 6, 2017 | 9.67 |
| Jaime accepts his fate; Jon learns of a potential ally; Daenerys convenes her small council for future alliances; Littlefinger is deceived; Missandei mourns; Sam is rewarded; Bran witnesses birth and death; Jaqen brings his plan into fruition; Gendry is acknowledged; Jorah fulfils his promise; Tyrion decides where his loyalties lie. | ||||
Media release
Season 7 of Game of Thrones became available for direct digital download (via iTunes) starting on October 23, 2017. This included the free behind-the-scenes featurettes previously released on the HBO Viewer's Guide website. The full season download was priced at $38.99 for HD, and $28.99 for SD (in US dollars).
Season 7 Blu-ray and DVD box sets were released on January 2, 2018. The set includes all ten episodes of the season and a number of extra features. The Blu-ray set is priced at $72.98 and the DVD set is priced at $53.99.
Features on the DVD release include:
- Anatomy of an Episode: "Hear Me Roar"
- Audio commentaries – Ten audio commentaries with cast and crew:
- Episode 1: D.B. Weiss, [...]
- Episode 2: Alan Taylor, [...]
- Episode 3: Dave Hill, [...]
- Episode 4: Neil Marshall, [...]
- Episode 5: [...]
- Episode 6: David Nutter, [...]
- Episode 7: Bryan Cogman, [...]
- Episode 8: Alik Sakharov, [...]
- Episode 9: David Benioff, [...]
- Episode 10: Miguel Sapochnik, [...]
- Three deleted scenes
The Blu-ray release with Digital Copy includes all of the features on the DVD set, plus:
- Episodic Previews & Recaps
- In-Episode Guide – In-feature resource that provides background information about on-screen characters, locations, and relevant histories.
- Histories & Lore – A full hour of animated featurettes explaining the mythology of Westeros as told from the varying perspectives of the characters themselves.
Deleted scenes
Three separate deleted scenes from Season 7 are included in the DVD box set release. None of them contain significantly new information, and have little to no impact on longer story arcs.
- [...]
- [...]
- [...]
Awards
[...]
Credits
- Credit for the brilliant poster goes to Miranda Hedman.