Winter Will Be Late: “Game of Thrones” New Season May Be Delayed

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L-R: Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark and Vladimir Furdik as the Night’s King; Image courtesy HBO(NEW YORK) — Winter is going to be late next year. In spite of Sansa Stark announcing that winter is here in the final episode of season six, devoted fans of the HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones will be disappointed to learn that because of the weather, season seven may be delayed.

In an interview with the UFC Unfiltered podcast, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss said that production on season seven will be delayed in order to capture the true essence of winter.

When asked if the series will return next April, as it has done almost every year since it debuted in 2011, the producers said it was unlikely: “No…we don’t have an airdate yet, but this year it’ll probably be a bit later, ’cause we’re starting a bit later because at the end of this season, ‘winter is here,’ and that means that sunny weather doesn’t really serve our purposes anymore. So we kind of pushed everything down the line, so we could get some grim, grey weather even in the sunnier places that we shoot.”

Winter is essential to the climax of the story line as it brings the White Walkers, who threaten the existence of every living thing, and so far only the Night’s Watch is preparing for their arrival.

HBO has yet to comment on an airdate for season seven. Season six premiered on April 24 and recently concluded.

Fans have already been disappointed to learn that the last two seasons of the beloved show may include fewer episodes as it draws to a close.

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