Game of Thrones Season 8 Filming Starts Today as Cast Sightings Start Popping up Like Wildfire

Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth. Photo: HBO
Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth. Photo: HBO

Holy sightings, Batman! Looks like the cast and crew are getting back to business after the, erm, minor storm delays. But no hurricane is gonna knock Game of Thrones off track!

For starters, Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei) is stoked to be back in Belfast:

The best time? Of course they are! GoT is filming again! Celebrations for all! Eventually she must have left her room because one lucky fan spotted her and Liam Cunningham (Davos) at a boxing match:

Reportedly, Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm) and Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) were on a flight to Belfast as well:

There was no picture, but we’ll take what we can get! Meanwhile, in an effort to beat my record of GoT actor run ins, Claire takes me down 3 to 2, as she walked directly by Kit Harington (Jon) at the Belfast airport! When Jon Snow is in town, you know it’s a big deal:

Yet another fan encounter with Rupert Vansittart (Lord Royce) in the airport:

Man it sounds cool to live in Belfast right about now. I was only there once but I loved it!

So what does it all mean? Davos, Brienne, Missandei, Grey Worm, Lord Royce, and Jon Snow himself are all in Belfast? Are they filming large group scenes, as the gang finally heads back North to face the Night King and his army? Or is it all just a coincidence and am I sadly only wishfully thinking? Time will tell, and we cannot wait!

Last sighting for today’s post, includes those pesky pink signs!! What are they filming? The only thing we know for sure is that the signs are there and they are pink!

Finally, Nathalie Emmanuel is on a roll today. This is an old picture, but I thought it fitting as it’s Emilia Clarke’s birthday today! From all of us at Watchers on the Wall (and Nathalie of course), happy birthday, Emilia!

64 Comments

  1. Is it really necessary to have a picture of a man with a giant penis wearing WOTW boxers? I thought this site was family-friendly.

  2. Adam:
    Is it really necessary to have a picture of a man with a giant penis wearing WOTW boxers? I thought this site was family-friendly.

    A penis can be family friendly. Just depends on the family.

  3. Im wonder if it will have filming photos and then scripts released on internet?We will have somehow or not?

  4. Artemisia:
    Im wonder if it will have filming photos and then scripts released on internet?We will have somehow or not?

    I’m sure we can rely on drones to provide some burdensome photos (for the crew, anyway) but I, for one, devoutly hope not a shred of script makes its way to the Internet before airtime. It dilutes the experience and upsets me greatly. Time will tell…

    Also – I’m deeply entrenched in the Foundation verse at the moment, and can only assume your name is a reference to ‘The Stars, Like Dust’ – no?

  5. David Rosenblatt: Iā€™m sure we can rely on drones to provide some burdensome photos (for the crew, anyway) but I, for one, devoutly hope not a shred of script makes its way to the Internet before airtime. It dilutes the experience and upsets me greatly. Time will tellā€¦

    While it doesn’t upset me quite as much, I do agree that I hope the script does NOT leak this time. Everyone’s different, but I find it to be somewhat disrespectful to the GoT cast and crew who work so hard on providing us with this show when people try and find out every little detail before anything airs.

  6. Adam:
    Is it really necessary to have a picture of a man with a giant penis wearing WOTW boxers? I thought this site was family-friendly.

    Uhm… I see no no giant penises or WOTW boxers, certainly not in the article itself. Maybe it’s something to do with your browsing history and the ads tailored to it. The ads I get are hiking boots and winter coats.

    Also, I don’t think this site is “family-friendly” any more than the show is, which is rated at least 16+ or 18+ for swerry language, nudity, violence and sexual content. But Sue will correct me if I’m wrong.

  7. David Rosenblatt,

    look ..i dont want spoilers or scripts too but im wonder just..if there will be the same like with the S7?..With photos im OK[one picture ..thousands words]..and my name i s from the Greek Mythological Goddess Artemis[ Dianna in the Latin version]…Godess of hunting and of the Nature

  8. With the bulk of the characters in one geographic area now, it’s going to be harder to nail down specifics of who’s filming with who just based on these kinds of sightings (unless we get a giant script leak again, of course).

  9. talvikorppi,

    I think he’s talking about a photo that’s posted on Watchers on the Wall’s twitter feed. There’s a dude chillin in GoT-themed boxers, though I haven’t seen this giant penis that he’s referring to.

    I thought it was funny too. This person watches Game of Thrones, a show that is all about tits, wine, and violence, but a man in his boxers is where he draws the line on taste? Unless it’s an effort to troll, I don’t get the problem here.

  10. Adam,

    I didn’t get that picture Adam?

    As for Artemisia, there was a historical Artemisia, queen of Caria. There was a character based on Artemisia (though she didn’t share much in common with historical Artemisia; historical Artemisia was high-born not a slave girl and didn’t die in battle) in a film a few years ago played by Boojam’s celebrity crush (well one of ’em – the only celebrity crush of Boojam’s that I know of).

    Back on topic, great to know the cast are gathering but this old coot hopes to avoid spoilers though I don’t mind the occasional picture of filming.

  11. David Rosenblatt,

    I second that. I’ve no problem with photo leaks and fans or the paps getting close or into filming sets and taking a few snaps. Its all good fun šŸ˜‰

    However, leaked scripts is something else and I certainly have no wish to know what will happen before S8 is aired. It will be interesting to see if HBO really has tightened up their security this time, but I have my doubts!

  12. This is one of my favorite times. I love leaks but I also love seeing pictures of the cast on set and trying to guess who is working with who and where. Last year’s Spain shoot was a treasure trove of information with Kit and Liam being photographed filming with Team Dragonstone, and Alfie and Kit filming on the beach, and then all the pics of the filming of the Field of Fire 2.0. I hope we get similar pics this year. I want to know if Jaime will make it to Winterfell? Which cast members (besides Lena and the Mountain) will return to Spain to film King’s Landing scenes? I mean, that might be a good indication as to who survives the NK and the AOD. The next few months should be fun.

  13. David Rosenblatt: … drones to provide some burdensome photos…

    A week or two ago WotW ran a story on eagles trained to take down drones and that such eagles might be employed by the GoT production. Several commenters BTL then provided links to footage of trained eagles doing just that. (I especially liked the plasticky sound when the eagles’ talons grabbed a drone.)

    What can I say. The eagles are coming! The eagles are coming! lol.

  14. talvikorppi,

    Adam,

    I was wondering what this was in reference to, and on checking the tweet in question I burst out laughing. Seriously, look at whats going on in the world right now… and someones getting their smallclothes in a know because of a dude in his boxers (ain’t that huge either) ?? šŸ™„šŸ˜‚

  15. Apollo,

    Hahaha šŸ˜€ šŸ˜€

    So it was that Tweet that Adam was referring to – Nothing indecent in that? Not as if the dude’s ‘knob end’ was sticking out the bottom of his boxer shorts LOL šŸ˜›

  16. Adam,

    I had to look a while to find it. Strange how it’s always the people who have the most problems with it, notice it first. In Belgium there was a story about an American woman who saw something inappropriate while watching Maya The Bee on Netflix. It was inappropriate indeed, but I have no idea how on earth she saw it.

    Btw, if you call that giant, … I was going to add something, but maybe better not…

  17. Mr Derp,

    If that is a picture I saw yesterday on twitter it is funny I wish I had panties like that ( though not all people would get the joje)

  18. Mr Derp,

    Dame of Mercia,

    Clob:

    Must have been referring to the twitter picture from Hogan in the sidebarā€¦ of which I donā€™t see anything inappropriate.

    Apollo:

    I was wondering what this was in reference to, and on checking the tweet in question I burst out laughing. Seriously, look at whats going on in the world right nowā€¦ and someones getting their smallclothes in a know because of a dude in his boxers (ainā€™t that huge either) ?? šŸ™„šŸ˜‚

    Haha! Mystery solved. I’m on my tablet, always vertical, so sidebars like twitter come way down in the end = I don’t scroll that far down, so I missed the “offending” pic.

    I bet twitter user @HoganMcLaughlin is secretly pleased to have been accused of having a “giant penis”, lol! (I just saw an ordinary pack.) Maybe Adam just wanted to stir and troll, aye? šŸ™‚

  19. Adam,

    Do you also hate girls in miniskirts or tight pants and a top showing cleavage?

    Otherwise you’re a bit of a hypocrite.

  20. Mr Derp: While it doesnā€™t upset me quite as much, I do agree that I hope the script does NOT leak this time.Everyoneā€™s different, but I find it to be somewhat disrespectful to the GoT cast and crew who work so hard on providing us with this show when people try and find out every little detail before anything airs.

    It’s not that it’s disrespectful – it’s that it’s quite literally stealing.

  21. King in the Southwest,

    In this day and age you can be considered a sexual predator if you even dare to look at a girl in skirts let alone make jokes so your comment doesn’t really have merit . But yeah,i don’t think the picture is anything really out there .

  22. Uhm, got sidetracked by the “giant penis” thingy. What I really wanted to say was

    A. As per actors who have been sighted, we have Missandei, Grey Worm, Bronze Yohn Royce, Davos, Brienne and Jon at least.

    B. I remember reading some report, maybe here, that this year, instead of two or more filming units, like they’ve had in previous years, they now only have one – which would explain the extended filming schedule. It also leads to speculation that all and every cast member spotted around the same time could probably be sharing scenes.

    C. and this is a personal “rant”. I do not want script leaks!!! I’m fine with tiny peeks in the way of cast/crew sightings, some pap pics, to fuel low-level speculation during the “long night”. I understand people who want every spoiler, scripts leaked (well, not really, because it’s stealing intellectual property), and I definitely understand people who want to be totally unsullied by spoilers. It is for us who indulge in spoilers – of whatever level – to protect our fellow fans who do not want spoiled. DO use greyscale, DO NOT “speculate” blatantly spoiler content. I noticed this last year. Suddenly lots of people were “speculating” exactly same things = the leaks. Please, do us the courtesy of greyscaling or taking it to the forums.

  23. Yeah for filming! Now just 18 to 20 short months before we see an actual episode air. šŸ™„

    Thanks HBO and D&D!!

  24. talvikorppi,

    ā€œand this is a personal ā€œrantā€. I do not want script leaks!!! Iā€™m fine with tiny peeks in the way of cast/crew sightings, some pap pics, to fuel low-level speculation during the ā€œlong nightā€. I understand people who want every spoiler, scripts leaked (well, not really, because itā€™s stealing intellectual property), and I definitely understand people who want to be totally unsullied by spoilers. It is for us who indulge in spoilers ā€“ of whatever level ā€“ to protect our fellow fans who do not want spoiled. DO use greyscale, DO NOT ā€œspeculateā€ blatantly spoiler content. I noticed this last year. Suddenly lots of people were ā€œspeculatingā€ exactly same things = the leaks. Please, do us the courtesy of greyscaling or taking it to the forums.ā€

    YES x 1,000
    šŸš±šŸš±šŸš±šŸš±šŸš±

  25. So… This started out as a Cast Sightings comment section, and quickly veered into a Hoganā€™s Hero thread…

    Q: Does he know of his notoriety? Or that someoneā€™s playing matchmaker for Adam?

  26. Captain Sparrow:
    King in the Southwest,

    In this day and age you can be considered a sexual predator if you even dare to look at a girl in skirts let alone make jokes so your comment doesnā€™t really have merit . But yeah,i donā€™t think the picture is anything really out there .

    That’s not really relevant to what I wrote.

    I was trying to imply that if the shape of a guy’s junk being visible through clothing offends him, he’d be a hypocrite by not finding noticeable female shapes offensive.

    Also, it really isn’t THAT bad, at least not where I live.

    And let’s not mention the fact that many women do exactly the same thing when they see attractive men. They just hide it better and men generally don’t notice it.

    But I catch you ladies staring at men’s asses more than I let on.

  27. Same article using the same tweets posted in WinterIsComing.net….so who posted first?

    According to google it was WotW….

  28. Adam:
    Is it really necessary to have a picture of a man with a giant penis wearing WOTW boxers? I thought this site was family-friendly.

    Um, when did that happen? (the family friendly site, I mean)

  29. Adam:
    Is it really necessary to have a picture of a man with a giant penis wearing WOTW boxers? I thought this site was family-friendly.

    Without penis there is no family.

  30. Chump Force 1:
    Yeah for filming!Now just 18 to 20 short months before we see an actual episode air. šŸ™„

    Thanks HBO and D&D!!

    The first episode could air next October for all we know. Itā€™s been said repeatedly S8 will air in the second half of 2018 or at the start of 2019.

    We know filming runs until June 2018 at this point anything else is just speculation.

  31. So what does it all mean? Davos, Brienne, Missandei, Grey Worm, Lord Royce, and Jon Snow himself are all in Belfast? Are they filming large group scenes, as the gang finally heads back North to face the Night King and his army?

    Hey, David, I agree, it is wonderful to hear that they are all together, and to start seeing the pics show up of the cast as they use their “off” hours. But, after reading Kit’s interview a few days ago, I’m getting a little worried about who is going to make it out. Remember, he said this after reading the whole script:
    “I get a bit weepy thinking about it. Itā€™s going to be to a strange year. Saying goodbye to everyone, having your last scene with this person or having your last scene with that person.” Kit Harington
    He’s already contemplating last scenes with a lot of different people. Now normally that could mean that his scenes with whatever cast member is only the last time that person and Kit will film together, and the other cast member would go off and do scenes with other cast members.

    But with them all together, and the story converging mainly in the North, I’m taking it to mean that the last time he sees a person is the last time they are on the show, they’re gone, character dead. And he said “this person …and that person.” That means people are going to be dropping like flies. Oh hell. That’s sad. So, if we see somebody like Nathlie leave town early, we could rightly expect that they are kaput.

    OK, everybody, talk me down. Tell me why this isn’t necessarily true. It’s too soon to start thinking about characters getting the phone call. I pretty much like everyone who is left.

  32. Did you see Benjen in Belfast recently? I hope not! That could only mean one thing!! šŸ˜¦

  33. Chump Force 1,

    I mean would you rather they just half ass the final season of the show, wrap it and rush it to television as fast as possible?? Yeah of course it sucks to wait but I really would be super grateful to HBO and D&D for taking their time with it and making it perfect. They could easily just not give a shit at this point and move on to the spin offs considering the near 10 years now altogether that theyā€™ve spent on the show.

  34. Thronetender,

    ā€œ….OK, everybody, talk me down. Tell me why this isnā€™t necessarily true. Itā€™s too soon to start thinking about characters getting the phone call. I pretty much like everyone who is left.ā€
    …………………

    Well, the body count was surprisingly low last season, so maybe the mass die-offs have subsided. Who did we lose? Littlefinger was long past his expiration date and had already gone stale. Olenna/Diana Rigg…sorry to see her go, but she went out in style. Thoros…well, he kind of slipped away gently, psssing out and then checking out (from hypothermia?). Benjen doesnā€™t count: Showing up just long enough to say ā€œHello, I must be goingā€ doesnā€™t really tug at the heartstrings. Ellaria and Tyene: Iā€™m sorry for Bronn, but other than that all I can say is karma is a bitch, and so is Cersei. The other two SS…Best to free up the actresses to do other projects and put Dorne out of its misery.
    Did I miss anyone? Iā€™m sure I did.
    Oh! The Captured Wight! Truly tragic. So sad. Poor guy.

    To be cont/edited. Keyboard crashing..

  35. BunBunStark,

    I like spoilers too. They don’t ruin my desire to actually watch the episode. Plus guessing is fun. Nothing is a true leak until we see it on HBO.

  36. Thronetender,

    Two other thoughts:

    1. Iā€™m not on board the ā€œDany must dieā€ train. I donā€™t know why thatā€™d be a narrative necessity. Nevertheless, Iā€™ve already prepared myself for that contingency. Iā€™ve visualized how the aftermath would play out.

    2. Presence in or absence from Belfast might not mean much. I assume they film the indoor scenes in the Titanic (?) studios. I know there are going to be on-location scenes filmed elsewhere, right?

  37. Ten Bears,

    There’s no longer any narrative necessity at the end of a story. Nothing NEEDS to happen in order for the plot to continue, because it won’t continue anymore.

    This is what makes endings so difficult to write. There are no longer consequences (in story terms) for killing off characters because regardless of their survival, the tale is told. This means that you can now make things happen that could never have happened at any other point in the story. The possibilities are nearly endless.

    That doesn’t mean that certain characters need to die, but it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t either. It means that the writer(s) will try to do anything to make the conclusion not only memorable, but true to all that came before.

    And a tragic death for a lead character is something that would ring very true for GoT.

  38. King in the Southwest,

    Nah. Itā€™s way too easy to kill off a character at the end and call it ā€œdramaā€ or ā€œartistic.ā€. I hate it. Itā€™s much more diffucult to construct a satusfying resolution wothout resorting to shock deaths.

    Look, Iā€™m not arguing with you. Itā€™s just my personal taste I guess. I donā€™t like TV shows or movies that donā€™t seem to have a logical destination… so they ā€œjump the corpse.ā€

    Especially in GoTā€™s early seasons, deaths were shocking…but they were natural progressions of realistic human decisions and mistakes. For instance, the Red Wedding sucked, but as soon as Robb narried Talisa – breaking the promises he made to secure that bridge – his goose was cooked. (Not that I blame him. I probably wouldā€™ve done the same.)

  39. PS. Iā€™ve said this in the past: All of the (named character) victims of Cerseiā€™s surgical strike on the Sept either had it coming or should have known better. And Iā€™m not just saying that because I love Lena Headey.

    The only thing that gives me pause about Dany is her ā€œtake no prisonersā€ approach: ā€œBend the knee or fry,ā€ Thatā€™s something that could come back to bite her in the ass. Kind of a shame. Being repulsed by seeing people in chains is kind of a flimsy excuse for roasting POWs.

  40. Ten Bears:

    The only thing that gives me pause about Dany is her ā€œtake no prisonersā€ approach: ā€œBend the knee or fry,ā€ Thatā€™s something that could come back to bite her in the ass.

    One of the meet-ups I am really looking forward to for season eight is Dany and Sam. I kind of have this image in my head of Jon introducing the two of them, bigging up Sam as his best mate/brother, someone he truly trusts, the smartest guy he knows and the reason they know dragonglass kills White Walkers and the finder of the Dragonstone dragonglass map. Plus his service to Maester Aemon. This swiftly followed by Jorah telling Dany that Sam is the reason he is alive; the archmaesters would’ve left him to die but Sam risked his life to save another………..

    And then the awkward realization for Dany that she had Sam’s father and brother burned alive.

  41. Alba Stark,

    If there’s no payoff for that particular set-up, then it’d illustrate that the writing on this show had taken a nosedive off a cliff.

    They’ve surely set up that bone of contention for a reason. There’s no reason for Jon to remain in the dark about Dany’s actions and for Dany to remain in the dark about Sam’s efforts to save Jorah unless they intend for it to create future tension, doubts and drama.

    After Season 7, I wouldn’t put it past the producers to resolve it with some pathetic flub in Season 8 where Dany finds out what she’s done off-screen and names Sam the new Lord of The Reach and all is forgiven, or Jon vows to rein in her people-burning urges because they’re just so in love now, or some other insult to the quality interpersonal drama of earlier seasons.

    But I’m praying for something more substantial and dramatic to come of it.

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