GOT Fans, Summer Is Coming
HBO has set July 16 as the premiere date for season seven of Game of Thrones, based on the series of books by George R.R. Martin.
Also released is a teaser trailer:
The clip features the symbols of the major houses in the series breaking apart while some of the most ominous dialogue from past seasons is replayed. Then viewers hear a new line from character Jon Snow: “There is only one war that matters. The Great War. And it is here,” referring to the White Walkers, the undead threatening the entire world.
HBO pushed the premiere back from its traditional spring start date to allow more time for the production. In addition, they will shoot just seven episodes rather than the usual ten. Back in April of last year, showrunner D.B. Weiss told Variety that the series is “crossing out of a television schedule into more of a mid-range movie schedule.”
The release date was announced in a Facebook Live event that required viewers to watch a block of ice melt before the date was revealed. Entertainment Weekly reports it took over an hour and that “millions likely tuned in overall at some point.”
The TV series is now out of phase with the books. Tie-ins were released for the first five seasons of the HBO series, but none were released for season six because Martin had not yet completed the sixth book, Winds of Winter. A release date for that book still has not been announced and, as Entertainment Weekly speculates, it is unlikely to arrive before the beginning of season seven. They add, “HBO is also exploring ideas for launching a potential prequel series based on the world created by George R.R. Martin.”