Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin's series of fantasy novels, the first of which is titled A Game of Thrones. It is filmed at Titanic Studios in Belfast and on location elsewhere in Northern Ireland, as well as in Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Morocco, Spain, Scotland, and the United States. The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and its sixth season concluded on June 26, 2016. The series was renewed for a seventh season, which is scheduled to air in 2017 with a total of seven episodes.[5][6]

The series is set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos and interweaves several plot lines with a large ensemble cast. The first narrative arc follows a dynastic conflict among competing claimants for succession to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms, with other noble families fighting for independence from it; the second covers the attempts to reclaim the throne by the exiled last scion of the realm's deposed ruling dynasty; the third chronicles the rising threat of the impending winter and the legendary creatures and fierce peoples of the North.

Game of Thrones has attracted record numbers of viewers on HBO and attained an exceptionally broad and active international fan base. It has received widespread acclaim by critics, particularly for its acting, complex characters, story, scope, and production values, although its frequent use of nudity, violence, and sexual violence has attracted criticism. The series has won 26 Primetime Emmy Awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2015—when it set a record for most wins for a series in a single year—and numerous other awards and nominations, including three Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, a Peabody Award, and three Golden Globe Award nominations. From among the ensemble cast, Peter Dinklage won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for his performance as Tyrion Lannister.

Contents [hide]
1 Plot
1.1 Inspirations and derivations
2 Cast and characters
3 Production
3.1 Conception and development
3.2 Casting
3.3 Writing
3.4 Adaptation schedule
3.5 Filming
3.6 Directing
3.7 Technical aspects
3.8 Costuming
3.9 Makeup
3.10 Visual effects
3.11 Sound
3.12 Title sequence
3.13 Language
3.14 Effect on location
4 Availability
4.1 Broadcast
4.2 Home video
4.3 Copyright infringement
4.4 IMAX
5 Reception and achievements
5.1 Cultural influence
5.2 Critical response
5.2.1 General
5.2.2 Use of sex and violence
5.3 Fandom
5.4 Awards and accolades
5.5 Viewer numbers
6 Other media and products
6.1 Soundtrack
6.2 Accompanying material
6.3 Merchandise and exhibition
6.4 Video games
6.5 Other works based on the series
7 References
8 External links
Plot[edit]
See also: Synopsis of A Song of Ice and Fire
Main article: List of Game of Thrones episodes

Power and violence are central themes of Game of Thrones, and the great number of weapons made for the series reflects this, some of which are shown in this exhibit.
Game of Thrones roughly follows the storylines set out in A Song of Ice and Fire,[7] set in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The series chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among the realm's noble families for the Iron Throne, while other families are fighting for independence from it. As the series opens, additional threats emerge in the icy North and in the eastern continent of Essos.[2]

"The Sopranos in Middle-earth" is the tagline that showrunner David Benioff jokingly suggested for Game of Thrones, referring to its intrigue-filled plot and dark tone combined with a fantasy setting that incorporates some magic and dragons.[8] In a 2012 study of deaths per episode, the series was listed second out of 40 recent U.S. TV drama series, with an average of 14 deaths per episode.[9][10]

Inspirations and derivations[edit]
The first season is a faithful adaptation of the novel. Later seasons, however, began to diverge with significant changes. According to David Benioff, the show is "about adapting the series as a whole and following the map George laid out for us and hitting the major milestones, but not necessarily each of the stops along the way."[11]

The novels and their adaptation derive aspects of their settings, characters and plot from various events of European history.[12] A principal inspiration for the novels is the English Wars of the Roses[13] (1455–85) between the houses of Lancaster and York, reflected in Martin's houses of Lannister and Stark. Most of Westeros is reminiscent of High Medieval Western Europe, with its castles and knightly tournaments. The scheming Cersei, for instance, calls to mind Isabella, the "she-wolf of France" (1295–1358).[12] She and her family inspired Martin, as depicted in Maurice Druon's historical novel series The Accursed Kings, in particular.[14] Other historical inspirations for elements of the series include Hadrian's Wall (which became Martin's great Wall), the legend of Atlantis (ancient Valyria), Byzantine "Greek fire" ("wildfire"), Icelandic sagas of the Viking Age (the Ironborn), the Mongol hordes (the Dothraki), and elements from the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) and the Italian Renaissance (c. 1400–1500).[12] The series' great popularity has been attributed in part to Martin's skill at fusing these disparate elements into a seamless whole that appears credible on its own terms as an alternative history.[12]

Cast and characters[edit]
Main article: List of Game of Thrones characters

Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) leads the principal cast from season two onwards.
Like the novels it adapts, Game of Thrones has a sprawling ensemble cast, estimated to be the largest on television.[15] During the production of the third season, 257 cast names were recorded.[16] In 2014, several of the actors' contracts were renegotiated to include the option for a seventh season, and included raises that reportedly made the cast among the best-paid on cable TV.[17] The following overview reduces the list of characters in Game of Thrones to those played by the actors credited as part of the main cast.[18]

Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark (Sean Bean) is the head of House Stark, whose members are involved in most of the series' intertwined plot lines. He and his wife, Catelyn Tully (Michelle Fairley), have five children: Robb (Richard Madden) is the eldest, followed by Sansa (Sophie Turner), Arya (Maisie Williams), Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and Rickon (Art Parkinson) who is the youngest. Ned's bastard son Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and his friend Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) serve in the Night's Watch under Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo). The Wildlings living north of the Wall include the warriors Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) and Ygritte (Rose Leslie), as well as the young Gilly (Hannah Murray).[19]

People associated with House Stark include Ned's ward, Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), as well as Ned's vassal, Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton), and his bastard son, Ramsay Snow (Iwan Rheon). Robb falls in love with the healer Talisa Maegyr (Oona Chaplin), and Arya befriends blacksmith's apprentice Gendry (Joe Dempsie) and the assassin Jaqen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha). The tall warrior Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) serves Catelyn and, later, Sansa.[19]

In the capital of King's Landing, Ned's old friend, King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy), shares a loveless marriage with Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), who has taken her twin, the "Kingslayer", Ser Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), as her secret lover. She loathes her younger brother, the dwarf Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), who is attended by his mistress, Shae (Sibel Kekilli), and the sellsword Bronn (Jerome Flynn). Cersei's father is Lord Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance). Cersei also has two young sons: Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman). Joffrey is guarded by the scar-faced warrior Sandor "the Hound" Clegane (Rory McCann).[19]

The king's "Small Council" of advisors includes the crafty Master of Coin, Lord Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aidan Gillen), and Lord Varys (Conleth Hill), the eunuch spymaster. Robert's brother Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) is advised by the foreign priestess Melisandre (Carice van Houten) and the former smuggler Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham). The wealthy Tyrell family is primarily represented at court by Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer). Also present in King's Landing is the religious leader the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce). In the southern principality of Dorne, Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) seeks vengeance against the Lannisters.[19]

Across the Narrow Sea, siblings Viserys (Harry Lloyd) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) – the exiled children of the last king from the original ruling dynasty that was overthrown by Robert Baratheon – are on the run for their lives, trying to win back the throne. Daenerys has been married to Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), the leader of the nomadic Dothraki. Her retinue includes the exiled knight Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen); her aide, Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel); and the sellsword Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman).[19]

Production[edit]
Conception and development[edit]

Showrunners D. B. Weiss and David Benioff created the series, wrote most of its episodes and directed some of them.
In January 2006, George R. R. Martin's literary agent sent the first four books of A Song of Ice and Fire to David Benioff after a phone conversation between Benioff and the agent about the books he represented.[20] Benioff read a few hundred pages of the first novel, A Game of Thrones, and shared his excitement with D. B. Weiss, suggesting that they adapt Martin's novels into a television series, and Weiss finished the thousand-page novel in "maybe 36 hours".[21] They successfully pitched the series to HBO after convincing Martin – a veteran screenwriter himself – in the course of a five-hour meeting in a restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard to agree to the idea. Benioff recalled they won Martin over with their answer to his question, "Who is Jon Snow's mother?"[22]

The series began development in January 2007.[23] HBO, after acquiring the TV rights to the novels, hired Benioff and Weiss to write and executive produce the series, which would cover one novel's worth of material per season.[23] Initially, Benioff and Weiss were to write every episode, save one per season, which Martin (who also joined as a co-executive producer) would write.[23][24] Jane Espenson and Bryan Cogman were later added to each write one episode of the first season.[2]

The first and second drafts of the pilot script, written by Benioff and Weiss, were submitted in August 2007,[25] and June 2008,[26] respectively. While HBO found both drafts to their liking,[26][27] a pilot was not ordered until November 2008,[28] with the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike possibly delaying the process.[27] The pilot episode was first shot in 2009, however, it was poorly received in a private viewing, and about 90 percent of the pilot had to be re-shot, with some cast changes and a different director.[29][22]

The pilot reportedly cost HBO between US$5 and 10 million,[30] and the total budget for the first season had been estimated at US$50–60 million.[31] In the second season, the show obtained a 15% budget increase to depict the climactic battle in the episode "Blackwater", which had a budget of US$8 million.[32][33] Between 2012 and 2015, the average episode's budget grew from US$6 million[34] to "at least" 8 million.[35] The budget for the sixth season was over $10 million per episode, totaling over $100 million for the full season and setting a new high for the series.[36]

Casting[edit]
The main cast was put together through a process of auditions and readings. The only exceptions to this were Peter Dinklage and Sean Bean, whom the writers wanted from the start and were announced to join the pilot in 2009.[37][38] Other actors signed on for the pilot were Kit Harington in the role of Jon Snow, Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon, Harry Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen, and Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon.[38][39] At the beginning of August 2009, it was revealed that Catelyn Stark would be portrayed by Jennifer Ehle, but was later recast, with Michelle Fairley replacing her.[40] Later, it was also confirmed that Emilia Clarke would replace Tamzin Merchant as Daenerys Targaryen.[41][42] The rest of the cast was filled out in the second half of the year, and included Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister, Aidan Gillen as Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish, and Conleth Hill as Varys.

Although a large portion of the first season cast were set to return, the producers were still faced with a huge number of new characters to be cast for the second season. Because of this, Benioff and Weiss not only postponed the introduction of several key characters, but they also merged some into one, or certain plot-functions were given to different characters. Regardless of these changes, the cast of Game of Thrones is estimated to be the largest on television.[15]

Nina Gold and Robert Sterne are the main casting directors.[43]

Writing[edit]

George R. R. Martin, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, is attached to the series as a co-executive producer and wrote one episode for each of the first four seasons.
Game of Thrones has used seven writers over the course of five seasons. Series creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are the showrunners and write the majority of the episodes each season.[44]

A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin wrote one episode in each of the first four seasons, but has not written an episode for the fifth or sixth seasons, as Martin wants to focus on completing the sixth novel, The Winds of Winter.[45] Jane Espenson co-wrote one episode for the first season as a freelance writer.[46]

Bryan Cogman, who initially was a script coordinator for the series,[46] was promoted to a producer beginning with the fifth season. Cogman wrote at least one episode for the first five seasons, and is currently the only other writer to be in the writers' room with Benioff and Weiss. Before Cogman's promotion, Vanessa Taylor, who was a writer during the second and third seasons, worked closely with Benioff and Weiss. Dave Hill joined the writing staff for the fifth season, having previously worked as an assistant to Benioff and Weiss.[47] Martin is not in the writers' room, but reads the script outlines and gives notes.[44]

Benioff and Weiss sometimes assign various characters to each writer. For example, Cogman was