How Long Is ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 7 Delayed?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but when it comes to Season 7 of Game of Thrones, fans are going to have to wait a little bit longer for filming to begin — and maybe even for the episodes to be released. But, how long is Game of Thrones Season 7 delayed? Well, that all depends on when exactly winter is coming.

And, no, I’m not talking about the proverbial kind of winter that this show deals in. Instead, I’m talking about when the cold weather will actually come to the spots where Game of Thrones most often films their scenes. During a UFC podcast that was released on Wednesday, Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss confessed that filming for Season 7 would be beginning a little bit later than usual, sbecause that production was waiting for the cold winter weather to return so that filming can pick up in the winter where Season 6 left off.

Talking candidly on the UFC podcast, the two admitted that they “don’t have an air date yet.” Instead, filming will start “a bit later because at the end of this season, ‘Winter is here’ — and that means that sunny weather doesn’t really serve our purposes any more.” So instead of beginning to film toward the end of summer like they have done in the past, Season 7 will apparently be delayed so they “could get some grim, gray weather even in the sunnier places” that they shoot.

As much as I appreciate their desire for scenic consistency, this news definitely comes as a blow to fans who may have to wait even longer for new episodes of their favorite show to air. But as for how long Season 7 will be delayed — well, if the weather is any indication, it could be quite some time.

Instead of beginning to film toward the end of the summer — like they did for Season 6 — production for Season 7 of Game of Thrones will likely have to wait until at least December to get some of the stormier scenes. It depends on where the scenes are shot, of course — but it's worth noting that Belfast, Game of Thrones’ location of choice, doesn’t see a winter season until at least then.

Of course there are other locations where Game of Thrones films that could be colder earlier on. But, if Mother Nature has her way and locations aren't adjusted, filming could be delayed by a matter of months. If this were the case, it’s very likely that Season 7 won’t premiere until later in the year.

Still, I’m crossing my fingers that they get strategic about this though, and shoot some of the later episodes while the weather is still warm. It’s the most any of us can hope for in the wake of this sobering news.

Image: HBO; Giphy (2)