HBO confirms Game of Thrones episode count, 2017 delay.

Game of Thrones will not be returning March / April with official confirmation from HBO that the season has been delayed for 2017 due to weather in Europe.

It will return in the US in “summer” meaning sometime during Winter in Australia -a coincidental nod to its famed catchcry ‘Winter is Coming.’

As rumoured, season seven will also consist of seven episodes, down from its standard 10.

Production will begin this summer and will be based in Northern Ireland, while other locations set to be featured next season include Spain and Iceland. Shooting locations in Spain include Sevilla, Caceres, Almodovar del Rio, Santiponce, Zumaia and Bermeo.

“Now that winter has arrived on Game of Thrones, executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss felt that the storylines of the next season would be better served by starting production a little later than usual, when the weather is changing,” HBO programming president Casey Bloys said. “Instead of the show’s traditional spring debut, we’re moving the debut to summer to accommodate the shooting schedule.”

HBO also confirmed directors for season seven include Mark Mylod, Jeremy Podeswa, Matt Shakman and Alan Taylor.

The delay means the seventh season will not be eligible for the 2017 Emmys, effectively opening up the fields next year. That news comes just days after it scored 23 nominations — marking the third year in a row the series has led the pack.

Source: Hollywood Reporter