Production timeline

Development

 * 16 January 2007: HBO options A Song of Ice and Fire.
 * 31 May 2007: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and George R.R. Martin appear on the social networking site Second Life to talk about the potential TV series.
 * 5 November 2007: The Writer's Guild of America strike begins, delaying work on Game of Thrones for its duration.
 * 17 December 2007: George R.R. Martin confirms that work on the series remains suspended due to the strike.
 * 12 February 2008: The WGA strike ends, allowing work on the script for Game of Thrones ' s pilot to resume.
 * 13 June 2008: George R.R. Martin confirms that a second draft of the pilot script has been submitted to HBO and that the BBC will be co-funding the project.
 * 9 September 2008: HBO exercises its option and buys the television rights to A Song of Ice and Fire.

Pilot pre-production

 * 11 November 2008: HBO orders a pilot for Game of Thrones.
 * 14 November 2008: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss leave a message on the Westeros forums thanking fans for their support and asking for casting suggestions.
 * 19 November 2008: The Winter is Coming blog is established by New Jersey-based Phil Bicking to cover production of the pilot and TV series in-depth . David Benioff and D.B. Weiss confirm that the ages of many of the younger characters will be increased for production reasons and that the series will employ mostly British accents.
 * 27 January 2009: George R.R. Martin discusses the TV series and the complications of merchandising rights related to the series in a podcast interview with THAC0.
 * 12 March 2009: Ireland is mooted as the filming location for the series in unconfirmed comments from the head of HBO's programming department.
 * 18 March 2009: Highlander actor Adrian Paul expresses an interest in auditioning for the series.
 * 10 April 2009: Winter is Coming reports that Scotland and Morocco are being touted as filming locations as well as Ireland.
 * 21 April 2009: HBO confirms that filming will begin in October at the Paint Hall studio facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
 * 5 May 2009: Peter Dinklage is the first announced cast member for Game of Thrones. It is confirmed that he will be playing Tyrion Lannister. Thomas McCarthy is confirmed as the director of the pilot episode.
 * 18 May 2009: Holly Marie Combs is rumoured as being considered for the role of Catelyn Stark . The producers confirm this is not the case.
 * 21 May 2009: Casting for the Game of Thrones pilot is underway by this point.
 * 13 June 2009: Nina Gold is confirmed as Game of Thrones ' s casting director.
 * 6 July 2009: Winter is Coming reports on a number of high-profile American TV commentators and bloggers discussing the project.
 * 19 July 2009: Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Kit Harington, Jack Gleeson and Harry Lloyd are announced as having been cast in the roles of Eddard Stark, Robert Baratheon, Jon Snow, Joffrey Baratheon and Viserys Targaryen respectively
 * 3 August 2009: It is announced that Jennifer Ehle has been cast as Catelyn Stark.
 * 18 August 2009: The Game of Thrones production office in Belfast is up and running by this time.
 * 20 August 2009: Seven additional casting announcements are made: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Tamzin Merchant as Daenerys Targaryen, Richard Madden as Robb Stark, Iain Glen as Jorah Mormont, Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark and Maisie Williams as Arya Stark.
 * 1 September 2009: It is announced that Lena Headey will be playing Cersei Lannister
 * 3 September 2009: Garret Dillahunt is reported to be interested in a role in the series.
 * 8 September 2009: Australian actor Conan Stevens expresses an interest in auditioning for the series for the role of Gregor Clegane and rapidly gains fan support.
 * 22 September 2009: Set construction at the Paint Hall is underway by this time.
 * 23 September 2009: It is confirmed that Rory McCann has been cast in the role of Sandor Clegane.
 * 24 September 2009: Casting of extras for the pilot begins.
 * 1 October 2009: Bronson Webb announces on his website that he has been cast as Will in the pilot.
 * 5 October 2009: Esme Bianco confirms on her website that she will be playing Ros, a prostitute in King's Landing, in the pilot episode.
 * 13 October 2009: Issac Hempstead-Wright is cast as Bran Stark.
 * 17 October 2009: Jason Momoa is cast as Khal Drogo.
 * 20 October 2009: Aimee Richardson is cast in a non-speaking role as Myrcella Baratheon . HBO announces that Jamie Campbell Bower, Joseph Mawle, Richard Ridings, Ron Donachie, Donald Sumpter and Ian McNeice have been cast as Waymar Royce, Benjen Stark, Gared, Rodrik Cassel, Maester Luwin and Illyrio Mopatis respectively.
 * 21 October 2009: TIME Magazine reports on the almost-unprecedented buzz around a series that has not even started filming yet.
 * 22 October 2009: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss once again thank the fans for their casting suggestions and support.

Pilot filming

 * 24 October 2009: Day 1 of pilot production. Work begins at Doune Castle in Scotland, which is standing in for Winterfell. Set and costume rehearsals seem to be taking place rather than filming.
 * 26 October 2009: Day 3 of pilot production. Filming begins. The Winterfell feast is the first scene shot . The German band Corvus Corax appear as a troupe of musicians performing at the feast.
 * 27 October 2009: Day 4 of pilot production. The main cast wraps up shooting at Doune Castle.
 * 28 October 2009: Day 5 of pilot production. No filming as the production relocates to Belfast . Robert Stromberg, fresh from working on James Cameron's film Avatar, is confirmed to be working on visual effects for the pilot.
 * 29 October 2009: Day 6 of pilot production. The prologue scene is filmed at Tollymore Forest Park with extensive fake snow used.
 * 2 November 2009: Day 10 of pilot production. The scenes where Eddard executes Gared and Robb and Jon find the direwolves in the snow, are filmed at Cairncastle, County Antrim.
 * 3 November 2009: Day 11 of pilot production. George R.R. Martin signs copies of his books in a Belfast book store and is joined by many castmembers who mingle and talk with fans into the evening     . There are indications that the new scene between Ros, Tyrion and Jaime in a King's Landing brothel was also filmed on this day.
 * 4 November 2009: Day 12 of production. The scene in Winterfell courtyard where Tommen and Bran are sparring is filmed.
 * 5 November 2009: Day 13 of production. Filming takes place at Castle Ward, County Down . The scene being shot is most likely King Robert's arrival at Winterfell, due to the presence of an effects-enhanced carriage that will be turned into Cersei's wheelhouse.
 * 10 November 2009: Day 18 of production. Filming has been underway for the last few days at the Paint Hall in Belfast. The famous, "The things I do for love," scene is apparently shot on this day.
 * 11 November 2009: Day 19 of production. It is reported that filming of Season 1 will be spread over 30 weeks, if the series goes ahead.
 * 12 November 2009: Day 20 of production. Filming in Northern Ireland is concluded and the production moves to Morocco.
 * 13 November 2009: Day 21 of production. Filming in Morocco gets underway at the Ouarzazate studio.
 * 16 November 2009: Day 24 of production. George R.R. Martin reports arriving at the studio and that the filming of the first meeting between Khal Drogo and Daenerys has already taken place. The wedding scene is filmed that night.
 * 18 November 2009: Day 26 of production. Principle photography of the pilot is concluded.
 * 19 November 2009: The pilot wrap party is held.

Post-pilot period

 * 1 December 2009: It is revealed that Jamie Bamber auditioned for the role of Jaime Lannister but did not get the role.
 * 15 December 2009: Irish actor Peter O'Meara expresses an interest in auditioning for the series, if picked up.
 * 17 December 2009: HBO trademarks the Game of Thrones name for merchandising purposes.
 * 14 January 2010: HBO's progamming chief Michael Lombardo gives a very positive and enthusiastic report on the pilot's production and on the dailies seen so far.
 * 15 January 2010: The wolf pups used to stand in for the dirwolf pups on the pilot are put up for sale . HBO are rumoured to be planning to book two of the Paint Hall's four filming sets for the next five years.
 * 24 February 2010: American actress Felicia Day expresses an interest in auditioning for the series.
 * 27 February 2010: A source claims that HBO has begun contracting services in Belfast that will be needed to work on the pilot, including making payments.
 * 2 March 2010: HBO officially picks up Game of Thrones for a 10-episode first season (including the pilot).

Season 1 pre-production

 * 3 March 2010: The Northern Ireland government discloses that the TV project could bring as much as £20 million to the local economy.
 * 10 March 2010: Bryan Cogman is revealed to be writing Episode 4 of the series.
 * 13 March 2010: An extensive call for crewmembers for Game of Thrones goes out.
 * 16 March 2010: Jane Espenson is added to the writing roster. She will be writing Episode 6 of the series.
 * 19 March 2010: It is announced that Jennifer Ehle has left the Game of Thrones project. Her role as Catelyn Stark will now be played by Northern Irish actress Michelle Fairley.
 * 24 March 2010: It is confirmed that George R.R. Martin will be writing Episode 8 of Season 1. The remaining episodes (1-3, 5, 7 and 9-10) will be written by producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
 * 25 March 2010: Rumours begin circulating that Tamzin Merchant is also departing the project.
 * 2 April 2010: Elena Satine is reported as having auditioned for the role of Daenerys, strengthening rumours of Merchant's departure.
 * 8 April 2010: Maisie Williams releases pictures of herself wielding a replica of Arya's sword, Needle.
 * 9 April 2010: George R.R. Martin comments on how overseas viewers will be able to watch the series.
 * 12 April 2010: HBO issues a press release confirming that they have hired David J. Peterson of the Language Creation Society to create a fully-working Dothraki language that will be used in the series.
 * 18 April 2010: George R.R. Martin expands on some of the challenges facing the project and on what will be happening in his episode.
 * 27 April 2010: Winter is Coming releases an image of an extra in costume.
 * 29 April 2010: It is confirmed that Tamzin Merchant has left the project and her role of Daenerys is being recast.
 * 1 May 2010: George R.R. Martin completes his script and goes on to report that Ros may return in later episodes and that the TV series will be very faithful, but deviations from the books are possible and more likely the longer it goes on.
 * 21 May 2010: It is confirmed that Emilia Clarke has replaced Tamzin Merchant in the role of Daenerys.
 * 25 May 2010: The Televisionary blog reports it has secured a copy of the pilot and that the quality of the finished episode is very high.
 * 27 May 2010: The UK's tallest man, Neil Fingleton, reports that he has auditioned for the role of Gregor Clegane in the series.
 * 3 June 2010: HBO shows an internal trailer of the series to investors, apparently to a positive reception. Fans begin clamouring for a trailer of some kind to be released publicly.
 * 5 June 2010: Director Brian Kirk joins the project and will direct two episodes of Season 1.
 * 13 June 2010: HBO airs a 22-second teaser trailer for Game of Thrones ahead of the third season premiere of True Blood, to a mostly positive reception.
 * 19 June 2010: Finn Jones is cast as Loras Tyrell.
 * 23 June 2010: Kristian Nairn is cast as Hodor and Roy Dotrice as Grand Maester Pycelle.
 * 24 June 2010: It is reported that HBO are going to be building a massive castle set at the Magheramorne quarry in Northern Ireland for the series . Martin later confirms that the set for Castle Black will be built on this site, including a fully-operable winch elevator as described in the books.
 * 25 June 2010: Martin confirms that Paul Engelen has been hired to work on hair and make-up for the series.
 * 6 July 2010: It is announced that John Bradley-West has been cast as Samwell Tarly, Luke McEwan as Rast and Miltos Yerolemou as Syrio Forel.
 * 7 July 2010: Westeros.org confirms that Conan Stevens has been cast in the role of Gregor Clegane . Casting sources indicate that the prologue scene will be reshot and the role of Will will be recast due to Bronson Webb's other commitments.
 * 10 July 2010: It is confirmed through Twitter that Jamie Sives has been cast as Jory Cassel . Lena Headey answers fan questions about her casting as Cersei Lannister and how she will approach the role.
 * 12 July 2010: It is confirmed through Twitter that Ian McElhinney has been cast as Ser Barristan Selmy.

Season 1 filming

 * 26 July 2010: Filming is due to begin.