Months ago, Entertainment Weekly surprised Game of Thrones fan by announcing the directors who would be involved in the show’s seventh season. Usually, we’ve got to wait longer to find that out, but apparently HBO wanted to get ahead of the curve. The lineup included:
- Alan Taylor
- Game of Thrones: “Baelor,” “Fire and Blood,” “The North Remembers,” “The Night Lands,” “The Prince of Winterfell,” “Valar Morghulis”
- Other stuff: The Sopranos, Thor: The Dark World
- Jeremy Podeswa
- Game of Thrones: “Kill the Boy,” “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” “The Red Woman,” “Home”
- Other stuff: Boardwalk Empire
- Mark Mylod
- Game of Thrones: “High Sparrow,” “Sons of the Harpy,” “The Broken Man,” “No One”
- Other stuff: Shameless, Entourage
- Matt Shakman
- Game of Thrones: Nothing—he’s new.
- Other stuff: Mad Men, Fargo, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- Episode 1: Jeremy Podeswa
- Episode 2: Mark Mylod
- Episode 3: Mark Mylod
- Episode 4: Matt Shakman
- Episode 5: Matt Shakman
- Episode 6: Alan Taylor
- Episode 7: Jeremy Podeswa
Recall that Season 7 will consist of only seven episodes rather than the usual 10.
Anyway, this was an interesting mix that didn’t include fan favorite directors like David Nutter (“The Rains of Castamere,” “The Dance of Dragons”) or Miguel Sapochnik (“Hardhome,” “Battle of the Bastards”), but brought back workhorses like Mylod, plus adding a total newbie in Shakman.
Now, Watchers on the Wall has obtained information about which directors are helming which episodes. Check out the list:
It looks like the show will lean heavily on Podeswa, who we’ve thought for a while was ready for the spotlight. Podeswa is a master of mood, having helmed scenes like Jon Snow’s resurrection, the introduction of the Hall of Faces, and the reveal of Melisandre’s true age. We’re excited to see what he does with a season finale.
Of everyone on the list, Alan Taylor has probably directed the biggest Game of Thrones moment—he shot Ned Stark’s execution scene way back in Season 1. Usually, the penultimate episode of any given Game of Thrones season is the one with the most fireworks. Will that hold true for the abbreviated Season 7? Did the production bring Taylor back after a four-season absence to shoot something equally momentous? Note that he’s only directing one episode, so apparently the producers didn’t feel a need to spread him too thin.
We’re also curious about what Shakman, a guy best known for directing black comedy, will bring to the table. Onward to Season 7!