Game of Thrones Season 8 Set Leaks – And What They Mean for the Show

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Although many of us are still reeling from the Season 7 finale, Game of Thrones crews are already beginning to build sets in preparation for Season 8. Considering the fact that this upcoming season will feature the longest and most complex episodes of Game of Thrones to date, it’s no surprise that the crew is already getting started despite rumours that the last season probably won’t air until 2019.

Here, we’ve investigated some of the set leaks that are already making rounds on the internet. Beware though, as this post is dark and full of spoilers.

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WINTERFELL

Unsurprisingly, Season 8 will feature Winterfell – which is located in Moneyglass, Northern Ireland. As the set has been sitting unused for quite some time now, repairs are expected but it seems that even more additions are being made. This can clearly be seen in pictures posted on Twitter by Alina and Watchers on the Wall where old grey set pieces have been accompanied by new red brick instalments that are yet to be painted.

As for why the walls of Winterfell are being reinforced and added to, it is very likely that the stronghold is preparing for the Night King’s arrival. The Wall has already been breached by the Night Walkers and The Dragon Formerly Known As Viserion, so the Northern folk are going to need a mighty castle that will help them survive the Long Night that is swiftly approaching.

RIVERRUN

In early September, the IrishThrones Twitter account reported that Game of Thrones crews were arriving in both Banbridge and Corbet. Both of these locations haven’t featured on the show since Season 6 and yet the set still remains on site having been left for Season 8. So, where in Westeros do these locations represent? Riverrun, of course, the place where Jaime Lannister urged Edmure Tully to turn the tables on his family. Edmure was almost instantly rewarded by being thrown in Walder Frey’s dungeons, though there is a chance Arya freed Tully following her Frey massacre.

The fact that Riverrun is returning may have an even bigger impact on the show’s plot though, particularly when it comes to Jon Snow’s true identity. Jon will hopefully find out that he is in fact a Targaryen early on in Season 8, which leaves Sansa in charge of The North. The Stark children are all related to the Tully’s through their mother, and if Arya has in fact released Edmure then it would be easy for the Stark’s to gain his support in the fight against the Night Walkers as well as for the Iron Throne.

A NEW CASTLE

Just a thirty-minute drive from Corbet and Banbridge, the Game of Thrones crew are setting up an entirely new set piece. Towards the end of October, pictures of Paint Hall Studios in Belfast were leaked by Twitter user Los Siete Reinos as Game of Thrones crew members began erecting what looks to be a brand-new castle. This same Twitter user revealed pictures of a gigantic Dothraki hut at the Titanic Studios in Belfast, implying that the Dothraki will continue to play a huge role in the show. The castle project began a few months ago but it seems that since Season 7 came to an end the crew have seriously ramped things up, and now we can easily see a sprawling, castle-like complex in-progress.

In fact, it is thought that this new castle is almost as large as the Starks’ home of Winterfell. However, this is not a Northern castle at all, which is easy to surmise due to the many windows and red bricks. Some believe that this new building could be another section of the Red Keep, while others think it could be one of the many strongholds we are yet to see in Westeros.

Now That Winter Is Here, How Do We Get Through The Long Night?

We are sure that plenty of new set leaks will spread throughout the internet over the coming months and, well, years until Season 8 airs so we will attempt to keep you informed. After all, it will likely be a very long time before we finally see how this incredible show finally ends. Still, this doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing – as the longer we have before the show finally ends the longer we still have new episodes to look forward to.

The very thought of the show coming to an end is rough, especially since it is so special in so many ways. Game of Thrones has broken records in almost every way it is possible for a show to do. At the 2016 ceremony, it won its 38th Emmy, breaking the all-time record that was set by the show Frasier years before. According to standard viewer ratings, The Walking Dead is the most viewed television series, but Game of Thrones is the most pirated show on TV so there are potentially millions of viewers that aren’t tracked. Plus, while The Walking Dead raked in 14.2 million viewers with its Season 6 finale, HBO’s Game of Thrones averaged 23 million viewers per episode including DVR and streaming.

Game of Thrones’ reach spans far beyond television as well, with almost every industry taking on the epic programme. If you have a hobby we can almost guarantee that there will be a Game of Thrones-inspired element somewhere. There’s everything from official colouring books to sports equipment to household amenities, all with Game of Thrones themes. Games developers around the world have even adopted the show, leading to a number of PC, console and mobile games. Fans are truly able to enter the world of Westeros in games such as the Disrupter Beam mobile app Game of Thrones Ascent as well as Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, available on Steam and consoles. There’s even a Game of Thrones online slot available at online casinos, ensuring that the franchise has a hold in the iGaming industry. Game of Thrones: Conquest is also available as a mobile app, published by Warner Bros. International Enterprises on Google Play and the App Store.

While we wait for the final season to begin, we are able to keep the popularity of this epic show alive through re-watching previous episodes, playing the games and investigating possible sets and plot points for the upcoming series. So, while we may have a long wait ahead of us at least Winter is still coming and is yet to come to an end.