Grisly new S2 “fan poster” released by HBO

I guess it is a poster that will attract intrigue for non-ASOIAF readers and people who have not seen season one, but personally I don’t care for it. Poor Ned!

Can’t you use at least a spoiler tag for that?
In Germany the Season 1 will air next weekend and you are just spoiling it for people who are interested in the show and are looking it up. Didn’t expect that from you (didn’t expect that from HBO either)

Grisly , but great !

Fantastic! I like these fan posters better than the non-fan posters :) I guess that means I’m a fan!

I laughed.

Lars:
Yeah, people who are about to start watching Season 1 now that come to visit the site will certainly be spoiled…

Who are these people who a) haven’t seen the first season yet, b) haven’t read the books, and c) are coming to visit a fan site, two weeks before the second season starts, and don’t expect to be spoiled on season 1?

I think it’s awesome. They definitely seem to be preparing one poster/king (and maybe one more for a certain queen). Which is perfect.

A good idea, poorly executed(no pun intended), imo.

Tropxe,

It’ll spoil a lot of people who were waiting for the DVD/Blue ray-release to watch it all for the first time in one go.

errrrrrr…

Bold move, not my cup of tea this time though. The overall design leaves much to be desired, and that light just above Ned’s head makes me laugh, it seems soooo inappropriate. :) But hey, gotta give’em credit for daring. Can’t wait to see the others, if there’s more!

sjwenings:
Tropxe,

It’ll spoil a lot of people who were waiting for the DVD/Blue ray-release to watch it all for the first time in one go.

I suspect all of HBO’s marketing is directed towards getting people to subscribe. As such, even little things like this – their marketing spoiling previous seasons – can contribute to overcoming people’s inertia. If it is not safe to wait for the DVD release, perhaps people are more likely to sign up to watch real time.

And I know this sucks for people in other countries, but a) if you are a year behind a show, don’t go online to fansites or that show’s official facebook page, etc, if you don’t want spoilers, and b) HBO frankly cares a heck of a lot more about their US audience, and even beyond that, the international audience that has access to channels willing to pay to air the show immediately.

Julian Budke:
@Tropxe
ADwD is also out for almost a year… But I won’t spoil that book for anyone… ;)

If you were on an ADWD fansite (such as for example the ADWD forums at Westeros.org), would you be expected to protect people from ADWD spoilers?

Lol, it’s awesome. Excellent troll by HBO. I hope they’re going to sell the ‘head on spike’ in the webshop. Can’t wait for the season 4 or 5 poster of Robb/Grey Wind sewing job.

I have friends and family whom I _know_ would love the show, and they won’t watch it because (and this is a direct quote), “There are too many beheadings.” This poster — and too many of the trailers — have showcased the blood and gore. That scares potential fans away, damnit. This poster is the epitome.

Oh, and Martin is sexist btw.

Winter Is Coming:
Despite our policy of S1 plot points no longer being considered spoilers once they have aired, I hid the poster after the break.

Still I find it hard to believe that there are people who are visiting this website and still haven’t seen season one yet.

I agree with Winter wholeheartedly. The poster was after the break and there was also a written warning. What more could people ask for? Anyone who strolls into it is not using their, um, head.

Knurk,

It’s bad to put it as the main picture on the Facebook page because it makes the show look ridiculous. Anybody who “likes” Game of Thrones now has some cheesy picture of a guys head on a spike on their page now, that guy also happens to be a character that most people really liked. Thats how you want this show advertised, some guys head on a spike with the words “the king can do as he likes.” This is actually a poster made by HBO not some random guy on the internet. You don’t think a company like HBO should be able to come up with something a little more artistic and tasteful than a poster with a plain white background and and a guys head on a spike.

To the people that justify this poster by saying that the series ended a year ago: Not everyone out there is an American, or a GRR Martin fan. I’ve heard that in some countries season one hasn’t finished yet, or even reached the point where Ned is being executed. Also, there are some people who haven’t watched the series yet and bought it as a dvd/bluray, because someone else recommended it to them. Many of my friends are still watching Game of Thrones and a couple of them saw the poster on Facebook. This was a bad move from HBO…

It’s a poster FOR fans. I don’t know of many fans of the books or show that don’t already know Ned dies. Is it a spoiler? Clearly. Is it awesome? Yup.
I think the statute of limitations on season one spoilers is almost up anyway. It was different when the show had yet to even premier. I thought all the asshats dropping book spoilers on unsuspecting HBO viewers were, well, asshats. And it’s not ok to ruin seasons of the show for people going forward, but at this point everyone has had access to books and show for almost a year. If it were really that crucial, I figure they would’ve already watched it or gone and gotten the books in the interim. Got no pity for folks that get upset about year old spoilers. Ned died at the end of season 1. Personally, if I don’t want to know what happens in a show, movie or book, I don’t get on the Internet and look it up. I think everyone’s frontpage should just read “spoiler alert” when they jump on the net.

p.s. Bruce Willis? Ghost the whole time.

Yeah, this is pretty…immature.

Like, we all know GRRM loves killing his characters, but he doesn’t relish in it like this.

Ya know.. HBO has to pick an audience to market to and it looks like they chose the “here and now” crew. Yes, it sucks, but even the “here and now” can be spoiled if they watch entertainment shows or view fansites. I walk on egg shells when I truly don’t want to be spoiled on something, because the information is out there for the people that saw the show 3 hours or a week (hbo go!) before me. I surf tv and the net at my own risk.

At least the WIC site and commenters go out of their way to keep from spoiling others, because they truly want people to enjoy the show and get all of the surprises that they got when they read the books.

OhDanyBoy:
Pink Dragon,

No?He’s the one who wrote the severed head scene in the first book and, as a more extreme example, both wrote and foreshadowed the Red Wedding (and its grisly aftermath) in extensive gory detail.

I don’t find that ‘relishing’ so much as ‘being realistic.’ Like, I don’t see him sitting there mentally chuckling to himself as he writes it, like I imagine whoever made this poster doing.

Difference of opinion, I guess (which makes debate a bit pointless). And total conjecture, obviously.

This, to me, is tasteless.

Okay, like, I’m imagining it this way.

What if JK Rowling killed Harry in book 7 and then the folks over at WB made posters like this with Voldemort standing over his body? A little different because that’s a much longer commitment, but it’d still be a bit immature.

Or the same with Frodo from LotR — Gollum parading around with the ring with Frodo’s corpse someplace in the background.

I don’t know. These are kind-of apples-to-oranges situations, but it’s the only way I can explain it. It’s just weird.

The only immature thing here are the people complaining about it for weak reasons. If you haven’t watched season 1 of a show you’re dumb if you go to a fansite about the show when the second season is about to premiere.

The poster works well and it’s pretty odd to see it as a positive ad since the character it refers to is definitely not someone you’re supposed to like. I think it’s refreshing to see ads for villains as well, just as they made a character portrait video for Joffrey.

As for the person who said violent ads scare off potential viewers. If a viewer has a problem with violence in trailers etc then they shouldn’t be watching because they won’t like the show. If they aren’t watching because they think there will be more violence than there is, and don’t change their minds when they hear differently from someone who’s watched, they are being morons and have themselves to blame.

Pink Dragon: Okay, like, I’m imagining it this way.

What if JK Rowling killed Harry in book 7 and then the folks over at WB made posters like this with Voldemort standing over his body? A little different because that’s a much longer commitment, but it’d still be a bit immature.

Or the same with Frodo from LotR — Gollum parading around with the ring with Frodo’s corpse someplace in the background.

I don’t know. These are kind-of apples-to-oranges situations, but it’s the only way I can explain it. It’s just weird.

euh, why would they release posters if their movies have ended? Indeed apples and oranges. Ned’s death is only just the beginning of the shitstorm that is to come and this poster signifies that. Your examples don’t make a lot of sense.

Tywin’s Bastard: As for the person who said violent ads scare off potential viewers. If a viewer has a problem with violence in trailers etc then they shouldn’t be watching because they won’t like the show. If they aren’t watching because they think there will be more violence than there is, and don’t change their minds when they hear differently from someone who’s watched, they are being morons and have themselves to blame.

that was an obvious troll, he even put in the “GRRM is a sexist” remark to make his point.

Edit: I’d also like to add that I really liked the comment that said that HBO is advertising this show saying: “You better watch our show quick or you get spoiled like shit.” Smart advertising this is.

Knurk:
And jesus, what’s so bad for putting it on the GoT-facebook page? Why are you looking at that page if you aren’t already a ‘fan’? This is not a poster that people will be seeing in the subway, it’s a FAN-poster.

Yes, exactly. Because, y’know, nothing ever gets passed around on fb. Ffs the post even says “Share the second Game of Thrones fan poster with your friends across the realm.”

For the record, I like the poster, but I’m certainly shocked that they would spoil their own show like this. Apparently they did some polling/testing and “Ned’s dead” has reached the saturation point.

I hope HBO reconsiders this poster. I didn’t like looking at Ned’s staked head in Ep. 10, I certainly don’t want to see it on a poster. There are so many other things they could have used as a promo, like the dragons. Big mistake.

dizzy_34,

Their loss. He can’t run a website and never post a spoiler ever you know.

You people are crazy! This is amazing! I want a this as a poster in my room…like right now.

Susan C,

Susan C:
I hope HBO reconsiders this poster. I didn’t like looking at Ned’s staked head in Ep. 10, I certainly don’t want to see it on a poster. There are so many other things they could have used as a promo, like the dragons. Big mistake.

You cant make a poster with dragons on it…that’s a spoiler! :P

Why would fans want their own head mounted on a spike? Weird.

Violentos,

I know. Wouldn’t mind one with all the Kardashians tho.

I don’t like it. What will they come up with for season four? A sewn head…? It was devastating enough to read it, this feels like mockery, plus totally tasteless.

I don’t like it at all. :/

I don’t like it because of me, it’s the image that made me flinch the most on the show, but I don’t agree at all that HBO is doing something they shouldn’t. Every single post on this website for the past ten months or so is a “spoiler” from season 1, and the picture is even posted after a break and a warning for some reason, don’t see how anyone can complain. Last year here in Argentina Game of Thrones aired each episode two weeks after the US and I didn’t find out about Ned until I watched it on my tv, it really isn’t that hard to avoid spoilers, especially in completely obvious places like this site.

I’m soo happy right now, all these ads are coming up, airing simultaneously with the US this year, so awesome. We always get everything late (i still dont have my blu-ray and i ordered the fastest carrier amazon has) so this is a pretty great surprise. Completely off-topic, just wanted to say it :)

This is awesomeness. Its bold. It gets people angry. If you weren’t aware, this is what A Song of Ice and Fire is all about.

Davos would get it but then he doesn’t have the soft, gentleborn heart most of you seem to.

Andy,

You remember when people would (or still do) burn books because they contained naughty words or thoughts… people’s outcry here kind of feels the same. It’s a brutal image. It’s supposed to stir up emotion. It’s art. It’s a book for ‘mature’ readers. Boobies are in the show.
The photo is well done and it provides a lesson; Mel Brooks always wrote it best. If you’re complaining and you read the books, ask yourself about the image you made up in your head when you read that part of the book… now which is more gruesome?

I don’t care for it.

JamesL:
Looks ridiculous. The quote makes it look even worse because most people don’t even know that that is a Joffrey quote, he doesn’t say it until season 2. It’s one thing if some fan made this on the internet but I can’t believe HBO would officially release this as a season 2 poster. And to top it all off they are actually using it as the main picture on the Game of Thrones facebook page. Why are they using it as the main picture on the Facebook page?? Not only does it look ridiculous and is in bad taste but it’s a huge spoiler for all the new viewers who are just getting in to the show.

Actually, it’s either Ned or King Robert who says it during the TV show in season 1 – I think it’s Robert.

What a fantastic poster …I love it !!! ….Damn I hate Joffery …..

I miss my N-word Ned. Hopefully there will plenty of flashbacks.

I don’t particularly like the poster…seems a bit too much like an advertisement for a horror movie to me. But I am amused by those complaining about spoilers…not criticizing them, just amused. It makes me wonder; what exactly is the “cutoff point” in which a spoiler can be revealed to the public? For example, how long was it after Sixth Sense came out that its major spoiler was revealed? (I won’t actually post the plot point because, believe it or not, I’m sure there are people reading who haven’t seen it or even heard about it yet, and I would indeed be spoiling them). It reminds me of a funny moment recently when the cast of the NBC show Community was being interviewed, and one of the shows creators, Dan Harmon, started talking about the series finale of Quantum Leap (which ended 19 years ago) and the cast jokingly started scolding him for spoiling the ending, claiming they were just getting around to watching it that weekend.

I feel sorry if foreign markets don’t get the shows concurrently with the U.S. and the U.K., but the same thing has happened to American fans of foreign shows. Until fairly recently, American broadcasts of the revived Doctor Who were at least half a year behind those in the U.K…it’s only in the last year or so that BBC America has made an effort to air the show in America a few hours later, instead of a few months.

This poster is clearly promoting shock. Ok, I get that. What I don’t get is who is trying to shock? Readers, viewers of the first season, fans in general won’t be surprised, the rest will be spoiled – especially if it’s all around facebook.

I’m really trying to figure out what was HBO thinking. When advertising a show lately, they usually trying to grab audiences from anywhere they can. That’s why they make most trailers more generic (concealing some times their true intentions). That’s why on season 1 they were avoiding the term “fantasy” on an attempt to not drive people away. Did they become so bold over their (the show’s) fanbase to come up with that?!?

As the guy Whinehead (I think) stated, season 2 is even more expensive. If I was one of their advertisers, that poster is the thing I’ll be avoiding. Imagine angry moms protecting their children from such atrocities… wild scenario? I don’t think so.

Personally I don’t feel offended or scared or impressed. No feelings at all. But with the previous posters I could tease my buddies who haven’t read the books: “War is coming”, seen it? Get prepared! This poster though gives me absolutely nothing.

On an era where blunt numbers decide the fate of a show, I’m usually concerned about trailers/posters/slogans that are controversial enough to hurt the ratings. That’s why even if it’s a marvelous poster, when it falls under that category, it makes me uneasy.

I think in terms of technique, it looks unfinished at best. Apart from that, I think people haven’t really got over Ned’s death yet, yeah, everyone loved him, but there are far more horrible deaths in asoiaf, and seriously, as for violence, newspapers show worse things everyday, and real things at that, and no one screams at their tv.

Kael of the Lake: On an era where blunt numbers decide the fate of a show, I’m usually concerned about trailers/posters/slogans that are controversial enough to hurt the ratings.

The thing is, HBO isn’t worried about ratings, blunt numbers don’t decide the fate of their shows. They want subscriptions, to be pushing the envelope, and some awards are always a plus.

blood direwolf is a better one…