Season 4

Season 4 of Game of Thrones has not yet been formally announced. However, substantial pre-production work on the season has already taken place, including the writing of at least six of the scripts (by March 2013), and the booking of some of the filming dates. If commissioned, the season will be produced in the second half of 2013 and air in the first half of 2014. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are expected to return as showrunners, having signed a new two-year contract with HBO prior to the commissioning of the third season.

Season 4 will be based on the latter part of A Storm of Swords, the third book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Whilst the first two seasons were roughly based on the first two books in the series, the sheer length of the third novel in the series (half again the length of the first novel by word-count) made this impractical. It is unclear if the potential fourth season will feature events purely from the third book, or if events from the opening of the fourth and fifth novels (which run concurrently alongside one another and the very end of the third book) would also be featured.

Plot
Season 4 spans several months on a world where the seasons can last for years at a time. In Westeros several noble families continue to battle for control of the Iron Throne, whilst the threat from the White Walkers continues to bear down in the distant north.

Production
It has been confirmed that, if renewed, the production will return to Dubrovnik in Croatia, whilst it is assumed that filming will also continue in Northern Ireland. Whether filming would also resume in Morocco and Iceland is not yet known.

Returning
All regular castmembers that survives the events of Season 3 are expected to return for the fourth season.

Producers

 * David Benioff: executive producer.
 * D.B. Weiss: executive producer. Benioff and Weiss signed a two-year contract in 2012, indicating that they will stay with the show to the end of a fourth season.