Season 6

Season 6 of Game of Thrones was formally commissioned by HBO on 8 April 2014, following a substantial increase in audience figures between the third and fourth seasons. The fifth and sixth seasons were commissioned simultaneously, the first time HBO has done so for a major drama series.

The season is expected to again consist of ten episodes and is expected to commence production in July 2015, running late into the year. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will return as executive producers and showrunners for both seasons, having signed a new two-year contract with HBO in early 2014.

The season is expected to premiere in Spring 2016.

Season 6 will be based on the hitherto unreleased sixth novel of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, The Winds of Winter, along with some material from the fourth and fifth novels, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons.

Plot
Winter has come. Westeros braces for a winter which may become a new Long Night, as the White Walkers and their army of the dead are poised to strike against the Wall and the realms of men.

In King's Landing, Queen Cersei Lannister has been publicly shamed by the Faith of the Seven and awaits her trial for regicide and incest. Even Grand Maester Pycelle has abandoned her, and called her uncle, Ser Kevan Lannister, to rule as the new Hand of the King. Even though Cersei has been released to their custody, her inept leadership nearly destroyed House Lannister's hold on the throne and they have no intention of ever letting her wield power again. Kevan and Pycelle must attempt to mend the damage Cersei did to the Lannister-Tyrell alliance. The Lannisters and Tyrells maintain a shaky truce as they attempt to deal with the ongoing debt crisis to the Iron Bank of Braavos, as well as the rise of the fanatical Faith Militant. Cersei meanwhile, though seemingly humbled, still has a few schemes she will attempt to play to regain control.

In the North, the Boltons have triumphed over King Stannis — but in the distraction, Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy have escaped, desperately jumping off Winterfell's castle walls. Brienne of Tarth, who executed Stannis, must now deal with the consequences of putting her vow to avenge King Renly before her oath to protect Sansa.

In Dorne, Ellaria Sand's poisoning of Cersei's daughter, the Princess Myrcella, may now force Doran Martell into the war against the Iron Throne he has been fervently trying to avoid.

Across the Narrow Sea, in the Free City of Braavos, Arya Stark killed Meryn Trant without the Faceless Men's permission — and without the proper training, the use of one of their masks has poisoned her and rendered her blind. Her training continues, as the now blind girl must learn to rely on her other senses to survive.

In Slaver's Bay, Daenerys Targaryen's attempt to liberate Meereen has resulted in massive bloodshed, with some among the former slave masters conspiring to retake the city from freedmen and their more progressive compatriots. In a large scale ambush on the opening day of the games in Daznak's Pit however, Daenerys climbed onto Drogon's back to try to escape the danger — but she could not make him return to the city. Instead, the young dragon flew north to the southern border of the Dothraki Sea, the lands of his birth, where the stranded Daenerys has been surrounded by a hostile Dothraki khalasar numbering in the thousands. Jorah Mormont and Daario Naharis have set out to search for her. Meanwhile, back in the city Daenerys's advisors Tyrion Lannister, Missandei, and Grey Worm are joined by Varys in attempting to hold together rule over the city wracked by resistance until Daenerys returns — if she returns at all.

At the Wall, Lord Commander Jon Snow attempted to prepare for the coming of the White Walkers by letting as many wildlings through to the south as he could — but tens of thousands more were killed and resurrected as undead wights at Hardhome. The leading Night's Watch officers, increasingly upset at Jon's proposed alliance with the wildlings, have staged a mutiny "for the Watch" and stabbed Jon multiple times until he fell.

Just before the mutiny, Lord Commander Snow sent away Samwell Tarly to the Citadel in Oldtown, located in his homeland of the Reach, in order to be trained as a new maester to replace Maester Aemon after his passing. Samwell takes Gilly and her young son with him, rather than leave them in the path of the White Walkers.

The exhausted lords of Westeros must now brace for the rise of the kraken — the ironborn led by House Greyjoy. Having remained relatively uninvolved ever since they raided the North during the war, the ironborn's massive fleet remains at full strength. The suddenly returned Euron Greyjoy, Balon's crazy younger brother, intends to take advantage of that fleet, though he is opposed by Balon's daughter Yara Greyjoy.

And as the winds of winter begin to sweep through the south, far Beyond the Wall the young Bran Stark has been staying with the last of the Children of the Forest and his new mentor, the Three-eyed raven, in order to hone his abilities of warging and the Sight. Bran will not walk again, but he has learned to fly.

Production
On May 18, 2015, HBO confirmed that filming for Season 6 would continue in Croatia and return to the cities of Dubrovnik, Split, Klis, and Sibenik.

Location scouting for Season 6 began in the cities of Girona and Pensicola as well as Almeria. On June 3, 2015, it was confirmed that filming would return to Spain and that part of the season would be shot in the cities of Girona and Pensicola.

Returning starring cast
All starring cast members whose characters survive the events of Season 5 are expected to return for the sixth season.
 * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister
 * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark

Returning guest starring cast

 * Rupert Vansittart as Lord Yohn Royce

Reported new characters
In past TV seasons, casting calls frequently gave the names of major characters who were going to be introduced. Apparently fearing that this was leading to too many spoilers, however, starting with Season 6 HBO did not actually include the names of characters in their casting calls, only aliases and descriptions - though several of these descriptions are specific enough that the identity of the character can be discerned with reasonable certainty:


 * A pirate who fits the description of Euron Greyjoy, the "Crow's Eye".
 * A father who fits the description of Lord Randyll Tarly, the Lord of Horn Hill.
 * A mother who fits the description of Lady Melessa Tarly.
 * A sister who fits the description of Talla Tarly.
 * A brother who fits the description of Dickon Tarly.
 * A priest who fits the description of Septon Meribald.
 * A leading actress with a traveling theater troupe.
 * High Priestess Kinvara.
 * A fierce warrior who fits the description of a Dothraki Khal, presumably Khal Jhaqo.
 * A large boy.
 * A 12 year old boy.
 * A 7 year old boy.
 * A Child of the Forest.
 * Qhogo, a Dothraki.
 * Akrat, a Dothraki.
 * Bower, a servant.
 * Lachlan, an outlaw leader.
 * Flynn, an outlaw.
 * Japeth, an outlaw.
 * Several members of an "outlaw band" of "broken men" raiding the people they once swore to protect - loosely matching the description of raiders and bandits in the Riverlands subplot.
 * A legendary fighter who fits the description of Ser Arthur Dayne.
 * A Lord of a Noble Northern House who fits the description of a member of House Umber.
 * A Lord of a Noble Northern Stronghold.
 * A hunter.
 * A submissive maester.
 * A green recruit.
 * A sympathiser (1).
 * A sympathiser (2).
 * A sympathiser (3).
 * A housemaid.
 * A father.

Crew
On March 27 2015, author George R.R. Martin said he would again not write a script for season six, as he wished to concentrate on finishing The Winds of Winter as soon as possible. On June 4, Miguel Sapochnik indicated he was already preparing to direct next season. Jeremy Podeswa made similar statements in June 12. On June 19, the show runners confirmed that April Ferry would be the new costume designer for Season 6, replacing Michele Clapton, who decided to leave after five seasons. On June 22, newcomer Jack Bender announced he would direct two episodes for season six.

Producers

 * David Benioff: executive producer.
 * D.B. Weiss: executive producer.

Writers

 * David Benioff & D.B. Weiss

Directors

 * Miguel Sapochnik
 * Jeremy Podeswa
 * Jack Bender (2 episodes)