New Tower of Joy Rumors As Filming Begins

As filming gets underway today at the Castillo de Zafra (which will stand in for the Tower of Joy), the fourth of the six shooting locations in Spain, Los Siete Reinos has a round up of what we know so far about filming at this all-important location, including a few corrections to earlier rumors.

The first one is that the director spotted on location is Jack Bender, a Lost veteran who will be directing episodes 5 and 6. They’ve been unable to confirm this rumor, or that the scene is being filmed for episode 6. (Though if it is Bender, that would make sense.)

As we noted yesterday, Eddie Eyre has been on location since Thursday, and from the sounds of his Twitter feed, he’s been rehearsing for the upcoming fight scene at the tower. We also noted that he’s been tweeting at Isaac Hempstead Wright quite a bit. Turns out that’s not just because they’re buds—Wright is also in Spain to film this scene. There had been rumors that Bran would not join filming on locations, and that all his parts would be filmed in the studio. It looks like that’s not the case. According to multiple sources, he’s been seen in the Teruel area where the Game of Thrones team is staying.

These pictures are running around as well. The person who took them claims that he or she overheard these group of men talking about the show and that they were clearly in the area to shoot Game of Thrones. LSR is asking if anyone can identify them.

I don’t know, but the one on the far left could pass for a Young(er) Ned Stark, no? (Which one is Howland Reed?!) Speaking of the Stark clan, another rumor was that Lyanna Stark would not be filming in this location, and that the fight outside the Tower would be the main focus. That also appears not to be true, as LSR has heard that not only is the actress slated to play her in the area, but that there is another actress with her—perhaps Ashara Dayne? Though more likely a handmaiden/midwife. (We’ll know it’s the latter if she’s played by Jessica Raine*.)

(*That’s a Call The Midwife joke, not a casting rumor.)

Along with the load-in of filming equipment, 14 horses have also been brought along for the shoot. That’s a few more than I was expecting. Yes, Ned has six companions when he rides up, but the Tower is (according to the story in the books) only guarded by three members of the Kingsguard. Perhaps the show is planning to make it a little more equal with seven on seven. (They do like their sevens.)

If they are adding to the Kingsguard stations at the Tower beyond Hightower, Dayne, and Whent, perhaps that explains the otherwise outlandish rumor that we’ll be seeing Young Barristan Selmy as part of the this scene?

Hopefully there will be filming footage in the coming days that might answer a few of these questions.

Next: Video of Emilia Clarke Emerges as Production Shifts from Navarra