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.
 * 8 July 2010: At a book signing in San Diego, George R.R. Martin reveals that the actor Richard Griffiths was approached for the role of Illyrio but in the end a deal could not be reached. He also revealed that an exceptional actress is in negotiations for another role and, if cast, may even affect how he writes the character in future books.
 * 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  . The Hollywood Reporter later announces that Aidan Gillen, a fan-favourite choice for the role, has been cast as Lord Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish.
 * 14 July 2010: George R.R. Martin confirms on his blog that amongst the Stark guardsmen, only Jory will have a speaking role. The others will be extras.
 * 15 July 2010: It is announced that Conleth Hill has been cast in the role of Varys and that Jamie Campbell Bower has left the project as Ser Waymar Royce, to be replaced for the pilot reshoots by Rob Ostlere.
 * 16 July 2010: No less than twenty new casting announcements are made by HBO, including Jerome Flynn as Bronn and James Cosmo as Jeor Mormont. It is also confirmed that the role of Gared has been recast   . It is also confirmed that the production will not be returning to Morocco. Instead, Daenerys's scenes will be filmed in Malta, using some of the castles left behind by the Knights Hospitaller. Daniel Minahan and Alan Taylor are announced as additional episode directors for the series itself.
 * 17 July 2010: George R.R. Martin confirms that Natalia Tena has been cast as Osha.
 * 18 July 2010: Miltos Yerolemou, who plays Syrio Forel, confirms that he has been receiving stage fight choreography lessons from famous fight choreographer William Hobbs on a one-to-one basis (Hobbs is not officially attached to the Game of Thrones series).
 * 21 July 2010: A number of castmembers convene in Belfast for costume fittings, a script read-through and general pre-production work. The Castle Black set is under construction by this time.
 * 22 July 2010: George R.R. Martin confirms that Brynden, Hoster and Edmure Tully will not debut until the second season due to cast budgetary constraints. He suggests that Brynden's story functions in Season 1 will instead be fulfilled by Ser Vardis Egen and Ser Rodrik Cassel.

Season 1 filming

 * 23 July 2010: Filming begins. The first scene to be shot is a conversation between Eddard and Cersei that is not in the books. Another scene shot on this day is a conversation between Eddard and Arya from Episode 104 . The initial weeks of shooting concentrate on scenes in the Red Keep in King's Landing.
 * 28 July 2010: George R.R. Martin announces that Roy Dotrice has had to withdraw from the production due to ill health. He will be replaced in the role of Grand Maester Pycelle by Julian Glover . In the UK, cable and satellite broadcaster Sky buys the exclusive UK transmission rights to all HBO television shows in a five-year deal. Game of Thrones will be among its acquisitions.
 * 29 July 2010: It is confirmed that Charles Dance has been cast in the role of Tywin Lannister. Dance, a fan of the novels, was the first choice of Benioff and Weiss for the role . A conversation between Eddard Stark and Grand Maester Pycelle from Episode 104 is shot today.
 * 30 July 2010: A meeting of the King's small council is filmed. Bryan Cogman corrects the actors' pronounciation of the word 'maester'.
 * 1 August 2010: George R.R. Martin confirms that Mark Stanley will be playing the role of Grenn.
 * 2 August 2010: Conan Stevens flies to Belfast to begin preparing for filming his role of Gregor Clegane in the series.
 * 3 August 2010: Filming takes place at Ballymoney. Which scene is being filmed is unclear, but speculation is that it is the confrontation between Joffrey and Sansa against Arya and Mycah . A scene where Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen ride with the Dothraki across a plain is also filmed
 * 4 August 2010: Peter Dinklage has arrived in Belfast by this time.
 * 5 August 2010: The Times of Malta confirms that Game of Thrones will shoot on the island for six weeks later in 2010 . Daenerys's entrance to Vaes Dothrak is filmed at Sandy Brae in Northern Ireland, with Bryan Cogman indicating that the name 'Essos', not used yet in the books, may be used in the series to refer to the eastern continent.
 * 7 August 2010: HBO reiterates that they plan to show Game of Thrones in Spring 2011, potentially as early as the start of March.
 * 9 August 2010: Amrita Acharia is interviewed by a Norwegian newspaper about her role as Irri in Game of Thrones.
 * 10 August 2010: HBO confirm that Dar Salim has been cast as Qotho.
 * 11 August 2010: Finn Jones and Conan Stevens undergo horse riding training in Northern Ireland . George R.R. Martin also confirms that Elyes Gabel and Joe Dempsie have been cast as Jhogo and Grenn respectively . HBO later announces that Gabel's character's name has been changed to Rakharo to avoid confusion with Drogo.
 * 18 August 2010: It is announced that Owen Teale has replaced Derek Halligan in the role of Alliser Thorne. No reason is given for the recasting . Conan Stevens and Rory McCann rehearse for the fight scene between Gregor and Sandor Clegane at the Hand's tourney.
 * 20 August 2010: George R.R. Martin confirms additional casting news: Lalor Roddy as an assassin, Simon Lowe as a wineseller, Mark Lewis Jones as Shagga, Clive Mantle as Greatjon Umber and Susie Kelley as Masha Heddle.
 * 23 August 2010: HBO co-president Michael Lombardo discusses the process of commissioning Game of Thrones in an interview with Vanity Fair.
 * 27 August 2010: Filming of the Hand's Tourney sequence is completed.
 * 2 September 2010: HBO confirms that musician Wilko Johnson has been cast as Ser Ilyn Payne . The scene where Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon confront one another over Arya's chastisement of Joffrey is being filmed on this date.
 * 12 September 2010: HBO releases a new trailer, a behind-the-scenes video, a new promotional still of Emilia Clarke as Daenerys and begin a new production blog updating viewers on filming progress. Writer Bryan Cogman also begins releasing postdated production diaries on filming progress. Today a scene from Episode 102 where Eddard talks to Cersei is filmed.
 * 21 September 2010: Actress Tricia Helfer reveals via Twitter that she auditioned for the role of Cersei Lannister . She also indicates that Elizabeth Banks may have also auditioned for the role.
 * 23 September 2010: By this day the focus of the filming has moved to Winterfell and interior shooting at the Paint Hall studio. Several scenes are filmed on this day focusing on the character of Bran Stark . Sources on the production claim that almost fifty different locations are being used in Northern Ireland for the shoot.
 * 27 September 2010: HBO releases a new behind-the-scenes video focusing on set and prop design.
 * 29 September 2010: George R.R. Martin confirms that Art Parkinson will be playing Rickon Stark and that Mia Soteriou is playing Mirri Maz Duur.
 * 1 October 2010: HBO releaes a new production photograph, this time of the seat of the King's Hand at the small council meetings.
 * 5 October 2010: George R.R. Martin reports that Ben Hawkey will be playing the role of Hot Pie, whilst Lommy Greenhands will be played by Eros Vlahos.
 * 7 October 2010: Wilko Johnson's local newspaper reports about his role as Ser Ilyn Payne.
 * 8 October 2010: HBO releases a new video discussing the lift at Castle Black and how they built it for the series.
 * 14 October 2010: HBO confirms that Ian Beattie has been cast as Ser Meryn Trant . They also release a new promotional image of Jerome Flynn as Bronn.
 * 20 October 2010: Filming of scenes in Winterfell and the Eyrie take place around this time, including scenes with Bran and Osha at Winterfell.
 * 23 October 2010: HBO confirms that composter Stephen Warbeck will be creating the original music for the show
 * 25 October 2010: London-based visual effects company BlueBolt is confirmed as working on the project.
 * 26 October 2010: Peter Dinklage gives his first public comments on the project, talking about the relationship between Tyrion and Cersei and how he and Lena Headey, who are good friends, play it.
 * 27 October 2010: HBO release a new photo, this time of the mural on the wall of the King's Hand's bedchamber in the Red Keep . George R.R. Martin gives a very brief set report, indicating that the sets for the Eyrie and the Red Keep are very impressive.
 * 28 October 2010: Castmembers and fans of the books again mingle at a second 'moot' in Belfast. George R.R. Martin is in attendance, as are producer Bryan Cogman and a number of actors, including Luke McEwan, Kit Harington, Mark Addy, Kristian Nairn, Jamie Sives, Gethin Anthony, Finn Jones, Miltos Yerolemou and John Bradley-West . A Russian fan site posts a report on the reshooting of the wedding scene between Daenerys and Khal Drogo at Dwerja on Malta . Lena Headey also reports that she is in Malta for the week to shoot a 'pivotal' scene, later confirmed to be a notable execution scene.
 * 29 October 2010: HBO release a new behind-the-scenes video about costume design in the show.
 * 1 November 2010: It is revealed that Fort Ricasoli on Malta is standing in for the Red Keep, whilst the village of Manikata has stood in for the Lhazareen village raided by Khal Drogo.
 * 2 November 2010: HBO puts up a new blog entry about the interior design skills of the Night's Watch.
 * 3 November 2010: HBO issue a full line-up of the directors for the first season and which episodes they are handling.
 * 5 November 2010: HBO confirm the casting of Brian Fortune, Stephen Don and Ian Gelder as Bowen Marsh, Stiv and Ser Kevan Lannister respectively . HBO also publishes a new blog entry revealing that the cast has held a full read-through of episodes 6-10 of the series in Belfast.
 * 10 November 2010: Early reports that adult film star Sahara Knite will be playing a role in the series are confirmed, with the news that she will be playing a new character called Armeca, an associate of Ros who works in the same brothel, an establishment owned by Littlefinger. This also confirms that Ros will appear in the series itself as well as the pilot.
 * 12 November 2010: Filming in Malta concludes.
 * 15 November 2010: It is revealed that Beric Dondarrion has been cast, with David Michael Scott playing the role.
 * 18 November 2010: Entertainment Weekly publish ten new publicity images from the series on their website.
 * 19 November 2010: Mark Addy reports that he has wrapped his filming on the series . The production spurs controversy in Malta after reports of environmental damage caused by filming.
 * 20 November 2010: HBO releases a new production photo highlighting props on the show, depicting a dagger and a book.
 * 23 November 2010: HBO releases a new behind-the-scenes video highlighting the use of weapons and swords in the series.
 * 24 November 2010: George R.R. Martin confirms that actor David Bradley as been cast as Lord Walder Frey . HBO also confirms that Andrew Wilde has been cast as Tobho Mott.
 * 26 November 2010: HBO republishes high-definition versions of the pictures from Entertainment Weekly ' s web and print coverage.
 * 27 November 2010: HBO airs a promo for Inside Game of Thrones, a fifteen-minute behind-the-scenes special, due to air on 5 December.
 * 29 November 2010: HBO releases the third teaser trailer for Game of Thrones, this one 60 seconds in length and featuring an exchange of dialogue between Eddard and Bran Stark as well as other short clips.
 * 2 December 2010: HBO publishes a new production blog entry in which they confirm that Maisie Williams, who is right-handed, is playing Arya as left-handed, as in the novels.
 * 18 December 2010: This is the planned wrap date on Season 1 of Game of Thrones.