This time last year, we were awash with details about what was coming in Game of Thrones season 7. Information on season 8 has been harder to come by, but things do slip through. To wit: thanks to a report from fan site Watchers on the Wall, we may know where the first scene of the show’s final season will take place.
SPOILERS follow below. Turn back now if you wish to remain Unsullied.
At the moment, the production is shooting at Moneyglass, Northern Ireland, where it’s made heavy renovations to the exterior Winterfell set. But the first scene won’t take place in Winterfell — well, not exactly. Per Watchers’ source, it will be set in the a village situated right outside the castle, called the winter town.
We’ve seen the winter town several times; Brienne and Podrick stayed there while waiting for Sansa to put a candle in the broken tower during season 5, and Tyrion visited the village brothel in the show’s premiere episode. As explained in the Song of Ice and Fire novels, the winter town has a seasonal population. There are always smallfolk living there (it’s where Ros the prostitute grew up), but there are a lot more in the autumn and winter, when people from all over the North come to ride out the harsh weather.
David Nutter is reportedly on set this week. He’s directing the first, second, and fourth episodes of the season, so that lines up.
The end of season 7 left us with a number of cliffhangers, most importantly how the world will react to the fall of the Wall. Given that, the winter town is an interesting place to open season 8. How do you think it’ll play out?
Next: Maisie Williams on leaving Game of Thrones: “It’s been my safety blanket”
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