Yes, Game Of Thrones may technically be a television show, but in terms of production, scale, budget, marketing, and general hype, it’s created a category of its own that exists somewhere in between prestige television drama and action-packed blockbuster cinema.
While shows such as The Sopranos, LOST, and Breaking Bad have come close to these type of cinematic levels, none of reached the heights of Game Of Thrones, which is literally the most watched show in the history of television.
And because of that insane popularity, HBO and the Game Of Thrones-makers have had to employee strategies used by major movie outlets such as Marvel Studios in order to keep their secrets safe, such as releasing “fake spoilers” as a form of misdirection.
Richard Dormer, the actor who plays the one-eyed, flaming-sword, six-times-reborn Beric Dondarrion (arguably one of the coolest characters in the show, really) told Sky News that some fake spoilers are released on purpose to throw fans off the scent.
“I suppose it’s good for the show because it gets people talking, and sometimes I suppose they even leak stuff on purpose. It’s all good for the show, but we find it kind of annoying because we want fans to see it on screen and go, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe it.’ You don’t want it to be spoiled, you want it to be a piece of entertainment that is constantly keeping you on your toes,” Dormer said.
Game Of Thrones assuredly epic eighth and final season will premiere in April 2019. The exact release date has yet to be announced at this time.