In the aftermatch of the whole Brexit shambles, people have been worrying what that means for Game of Thrones. One of the show’s principle filming sites since season one has been Northern Ireland (NI), as we know, using both outdoor and studio locations, most notably the Paint Hall (Titanic Studios) in Belfast.
While the season seven shoot in the second half of this year is too close to be affected anyway (no one knows how long the exit negotations will take and when they are actually going to start), the situation could potentially have an impact on the final season. However, as it turns out, the funding and incentives Game of Thrones gets via NI Screen, NI Invest, and UK-wide programmes is not coming out of EU money. As Deadline Holywood writes, there used to be additional support from the European Regional Development Fund, but that stopped a couple of seasons ago already.
The reporter also obtained clarifying statements from HBO and from NI Screen:
HBO: We do not anticipate that the result of the EU Referendum will have any material effect on HBO producing Game Of Thrones.
NI Screen: This statement is to confirm that Northern Ireland Screen’s production funding comes from the Northern Ireland Executive through Invest NI and does not use monies provided from European funded programmes. We look forward to business as usual.
All is well, then – as far as our particular concerns with Game of Thrones go, at any rate.
THE SKY IS FALLING, TV TOLD ME SO!
Shireen
Just another scare tactic with no truth behind it. #WordsAreWind. Lol.
And also, according to article 50, it’ll be at least two years before the UK actually splits from the EU. And that takes effect in October. Cannot believe the outcome of this horrendous vote- we’re truly devastated by this here and even some of those who voted out have now reconsidered when they realised the outcome and short term effects (idiots).
The majority have fallen foul to fear, lies and hate… We really never thought it’d happen here. Now I’m REALLY worried it’ll happen in the US too as Trump is riding that same pony.
Winter truly has come to the UK and EU. 🙁
GOT is TBTF anyways.
Even if Brexit affected GoT, HBO would still find a way to make the show work. It’s their little money-maker xD
Apollo,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjEjT4wEPGw a bit shocked he says… Jesus.
Questions if anyone knows:
When does filming for season 7 start and would the scripts have been written yet?
Because i’m wondering if GRRM is close to publishing book six, that might give them a bit more material to work in. Anything to get two full seasons.
Apollo,
Hmmm I’m sorry but can we keep politics off this site please? No one becomes an idiot for not sharing another person’s political viewpoint. ?
There’s no need to worry about GOT filming it seems so all good.
They still shoot a huge part in Spain and Croatia which are in EU, and in countries like Iceland or Morocco which are not. I am sure they know how to get all the money offered,maybe they EU funds now come with Spain since they stoped being from Ireland two years ago when they started with Spain.
Anyway HBO is huge and GoT as well…i never thought it would be problem.
They only one could be the actors who would have to get a working visa but i don’t believe it will happen soon, it will take some years.
To be fair I think there’s been so much voter complacency here as we all didn’t see it coming and expected an (albeit narrow) margin in favour of remaining. Even I’m guilty as I almost didn’t vote due to family stuff but made myself go along. So glad I did.
Well certainly there will be short term turmoil as things are gradually changed. Concerning the US, its not even close to the same thing. Both the Republicans and Democrats have sucked since forever, and probably will continue to until we get more viable third or fourth parties (neither of which the Republicans or Democrats want). If Trump does get elected, hes not a king. He cant just do whatever he wants.
There is so much hyperbole going on its stupid. People are sick of the establishment, on both sides of the pond. 17 million people in the UK didnt vote to leave simply because they are all idiots, and 16 million didnt vote to stay because they are all political scholars…
No. This is a site about a show whose title is a direct reference to politics.
I mean, come on, the most recent episode featured an island nation requesting independence from a larger union.
It’s both inevitable and valid to compare the politics of the show with the politics of the real world. And if you don’t want to talk politics, stay the hell away from the discussion on a post about a ground-shaking political story that’s less than a day old.
At this point in the series it wouldn’t have made much of a difference even if GOT still had been supported using EU development money; it would be more detrimental to move everything out of Northern Ireland for a season and a bit than to stay and stick it out. And the UK will still be in the EU for the immediate future, perhaps long enough to salvage something from this madness, so may still receive some funding for now.
I’ll be more worried about the future sustainability of the NI film industry. The modern-day industry makes decisions on tax credits, subsidies, and the financial cost to the studio before location, which is less relevant than ever now. If we ever get a prequel series, it may not be coming from Northern Ireland.
That’s good news for HBO and Got fans. Great to hear that.
As a British ex-pat, I supported the IN campaign. However, the OUT’s finally won so that’s the way ‘The cookie crumbled’ ! Probably not such a good decision in the short term, but time will tell I guess. The people have voted and we’ll have to live with it…
More worrying is that a lunatic could end up as the next US president! I’d be more concerned about that !!!
OT and FYI – posted Alt Shift X’s video on –
http://watchersonthewall.com/game-thrones-season-6-episode-9-battle-bastards-video-roundup/
Its great as always 🙂
Well two points:
1. Take it up with the author of the thread as it’s the subject matter.
2. You read thread title so came in with full knowledge of the content…tso if you don’t wanna discuss the Brexit implications then move onto another thread.
Namaste ??
Ser Broccoli McBroccoliface,
I pray for us all ?
There are dozens and dozens (and dozens and dozens and more dozens) horrible, stupid, really terrible consequences of the Brexit vote, but affecting Game of Thrones isn’t one of them.
It’s just everything else 😉
I will never understand why politics seems to be one of those (in a nutshell) every- viewpoint-is-valid-topics for some. Some political viewpoints are idiotic. This isn’t a statement about Brexit or aims in anyway to imply that just because someone has an idiotic political viewpoint on something, that he/she is an idiot on all fronts of course.
Ser Broccoli McBroccoliface,
Anyone who gets into power becomes the establishment so this anti-establishment sentiment is naive to say the least. Not that people are not right to be angered by the lack of efficiency in the government but that is not only due to the establishment but to the people who think that their only civic duty is to vote once in a while. If you want Congress to do something then pressure the reps into action. They did it a lot in the 60s and it worked! Don’t blame it all on the “establishment”.
Abyss,
Yes. Especially when we now live in a post-factual world, where the facts no longer seem to matter.
You are allowed your own opinions. You are not allowed your own facts, and when politics is covered by such incredible lies and misinformation, and that people are voting based entirely on those outright lies and misinformation, yes, in fact, one can say those opinions are wrong and bad.
This brexit panic will turn out to be the biggest nothing burger and mummer’s farce ever. There may be some short term bumps but the UK will be better off in the long run.
I wonder if any of the actors will have immigration issues, or will this matter not take effect for a while?
PS: People sometimes wonder why Hollywood doesn’t use more foreign talent. I suspect one reason is that getting permission to work in the US takes the better part of a year and thousands of dollars.
To your point (which is a valid one), I wasn’t referring to all OUT voters as idiots. But today in the media (which I hasten to add are far from impartial and have been a contributory factor in all of this), there have been many reports and statements from some UK voters who voted out because they didn’t know what way to vote, and simply believed what they’d been told instead of researching for themselves. They have have since regretted their actions. In addition we have been saturated before, during and after the vote with xenophobic and ignorant bile coming from some of the Out voters. This, in my opinion, qualifies for idiocy in both cases hence my statement.
And the exit campaigns propaganda material and economical figures have been widely exposed as being simply fictitious. Including by one of the principal OUT campaigners on TV today.
The bad thing about politics (I mean real life politics, not Westerosi) is that having a discussion about it kind of makes people to forget that they are not entitled to pass judgment with no consideration about other people’s beliefs/feelings and certainly not to order them to “get out”.
As a European, it hurts to realise that errors in Brussels have helped reactionism and shallow chauvinism to sweep across Europe. And I am not in place to qualify anyone as an “idiot”, because if he/she holds what I consider an idiotic opinion is because I failed to convince him/her that it was one.
So, whatever. Just please try to stay polite, at least.
Sure. Worst case scenario, Scotland breaks away.
Last time a kingdom declared its independence, the king, his wife and his mum got slaughtered at a wedding.
Apollo,
Sadly, that kind of low or no information voting happens in all elections and effects both sides about equally. In the US various comedians have done a pretty good job of documenting how many voters have no idea what their candidates support or don’t support. One of the best was a few years ago somebody went around doing man on the street interviews and had dozens of women agreeing to end “women’s suffrage” which of course is the right to vote. In no way am I picking on women or any particular side of the debate, that’s just the best example I can remember, there have been many instances of equal opportunity idiocy. The thing I love about GOT and ASOIAF are how often they show that the version of events that are popularly known or believed are a crock of shit. Yes, many are saying Brexit is a terrible thing but time will tell, they may be right, or all this panic may be as fake as Joffrey’s “but I have made a holy vow” speech protesting setting Sansa aside for Marg. All the small folk think Tyrion is an arch villain, but in reality he cares more about them than most. Sometimes conventional wisdom is right, sometimes it may be conventional, but it isn’t wisdom.
Apollo,
No need to pray for me. It’s a great day in the United Kingdom. You’ve taken back your country and started the defense against today’s modern day White Walker. The ISIS Terrorist.
I was going to ask when we would know who the directors for Season 7 are, but then I realized how intensely political the comment section is.
clouddragon,
Be the change you want to see.
Kilgore Tully,
That was a fly by post from me while I had two minutes spare so perhaps what I should have said is can we not debate the Brexit issue instead? The net is awash with it and this thread is only stating that GOT isn’t affected.
I commented because Apollo was saying anyone who voted Leave was an idiot. Wrong!
There is something else???? 😛
Thrones!? Football!? Ha!! Everything I feel passionate and emotive about atm just suddenly don’t feel that important.
Was genuinely surprised by today and somewhat disheartened. Felt alone in a land I don’t know u_u sometimes I’d rather be in Westeros that world makes much more sense lol.
Roll on Smonday!! And then a book. And more seasons. Maybe
Time for another BotB re-watch. It’s fucking amazing. I regret saying D&D are lazy. They are far from it. A handshake and a hug from me to them. And all!!!
Except leave voters ofc 😛
Boris Johnson (Brexit opportunist politician) gets my vote for the Littlefinger of UK politics award. Happy to burn the realm as long as he gets to be king of the ashes (i.e the next prime minister of Britain). What a devious crook!
The HBO dollars will certainly be worth a lot more in Sterling over the next years.
As a Scot for me that’s the best possible scenario 🙂 What’s strange is also the possibiity of a reunified Ireland, which seems more possible than ever before :O Not likely, but possible.
I’m American, don’t really like weighing in on other countries political structures but I hope you guys work it out and be humble with your choice. Cheers.
Northern Ireland is going to leave the UK to rejoin the EU.
God help us all.
Chad Brick,
It won’t for at least two years or so, so they’re likely fine on that front as well.
All I gotta say is trade disputes belong in the real world and not Star Wars movies. Got that, Disney?
I guess we will get this confirmed about 2 or 3 months after Season 6 finale.
Well, I never had a high opinion of David Cameron (Jeremy Corbyn either), but Boris Johnson is a prize wanker! A dickhead … and God help the UK if he gets voted in as the next PM. A UK version of Donald Trump – Blimey – they even look alike! That doesn’t bode well 🙁
One question? If Scotland (or N.I) breaks away from the UK, would they elect to change from the pound to the euro like as the Republic of Ireland did?
Take it from me as someone who has lived (in Spain for 30 years) both with the peseta and then with the euro – Its a disaster! The cost of living almost doubled over night as it did in many other European countries who adopted it. I was in the UK when they changed from pounds, shillings and pence to the decimal system in 1972 and that was bad enough! However, that pales in comparison to joining the euro!
The Irish were just behind Greece regarding a banking ‘meltdown’ and were lucky not to get pulled under to the extent that happened in Greece.
Bottom line – Avoid the EURO at ALL costs 🙁
In the short run, this helps GoT production, because the Great British Pound is tanking against other currencies, like the dollars HBO brings into NI.
Future multi~site productions might just avoid the UK, though — if you can get everything you want in EU countries, why bother going outside the EU? Why bother with duplicate paperwork, &c.?
Nadia,
Not to mention all the potential carnage it could do the UK entertainment business overall. http://www.screendaily.com/territories/uk-ireland/eu-referendum-result-devastating-for-uk-film-and-tv/5106192.article
Chad Brick,
Shooting in Spain means they’ll likely have to get work visas. A bigger issue might be transporting behind the camera talent in/out of EU countries. Then again, we’ll have to see if the EU gets its way and kicks Britain out sooner than later, or this ends up dragging on and becomes a two year process. Either way, not much will change for the actors this summer is my guess.
ugashep,
Yes but there are the minority who are engaged and know Donald Trump has declared chapter 11 four times out of 500 businesses. The minority is also aware that Hillary has accepted millions from Saudis, millions for uranium rights in our country, she has met with supporters while Secretary of State, multiple times. I really would like to hear a comeback.
That four 4/500 figure is misleading. Trump was all-in on the Taj Mahal and outside of his inseparable name almost certainly had a negative net worth. He basically recovered from that by selling his name and the scam that is his public company, Trump Casinos and Resorts, which he basically used to bilk investors and use as a piggy bank.
I wanted to withhold from this discussion but one thing I’ll say. GoT is one of the most succesful TV products in history. People involed in its production have earned a ton of money. True, they have deserved that. But if GoT is milking the EU funds… These funds were made to support the vulnerable and British entertainment industry is not vulnerable at all, because it’s English and the world speaks English: there is no language barrier, as for Lithuanian, Romanian or even German filmmakers. So, what’s to say… The world is unfair and lions always get the lion share one way or another. But then let’s stop pretending and talking about unions, equality, and other bulllshit.
End note. It’s just the first world’s problems. My country ceseded from the Soviet Union with fire and blood. Ukraine ceseded with even more fire and blood recently. The UK won’t have to stand against the tanks with bare hans and I assume UK won’t have to live through winter without heating. Scotland its just a minor problem: it wants independence, and then it doesn’t, and then it wants it again… No respect but respect to the UK. CEE is pretty tired of the EU too and would be happy to exit, if not of Russia, though there is little protection…
Chad Brick,
Ok, and what response regarding Hillary? I don’t like Donald, but I haven’t heard your response on my very valid points regarding Hillary.
Chad Brick,
It won’t take effect for while, but even if it did immigration issues wouldn’t be a problem.
The EU aren’t going to suddenly impose strict U.S. or Australian style immigration rules on the UK. Too much trade, business and tourism is conducted between European countries and the UK. And if the UK remains part of the single market then some allowance for movement of workers and tourists will remain.
Despite what some would have people believe the UK is not suddenly going to become some pariah state, whose population can’t venture into mainland Europe without an extensive background check and a mandatory body cavity search.
I am so ecstatic over the Brexit vote, being of Scot/Irish ancestry. My firm belief is this will eventually lead to an independent Scotland and a unified Ireland.
I’m glad filming of GoT is unaffected.
Actually the voting went pretty close (52% for leaving, 48% for staying). I voted to stay but will abide by the decision of the majority. Boris Johnson can be a crowd pleaser but I’m not sure he is practically shrewd enough to be a prime minister. I was surprised when I woke up yesterday and found out that the “Leave” vote was in the majority. I think some people who felt increasingly estranged from the Government in the UK used the opportunity to give the Government a figurative bloody nose but they were using a vote on the EU to score points on what was essentially a UK national problem.
Inga,
There is quite a large underclass in the UK, Inga, and it has been getting progressively larger since the time of Baroness T. I volunteered albeit in a small way to help in a homeless shelter at one time – some of the guests were British-born people but there were some folk from other parts of the world who had come believing Britain was an El Dorado and discovered the hard way that it wasn’t and ended up living on the streets.
I will concede that in present day Britain (I’m thinking of “The Battle of Peterloo” – of course there were no tanks at that point in history but troops were set on people holding a meeting in a British setting) we are unlikely to have to face tanks if leaving the EU. In more recent times the police in the UK have “kettled” people in a confined space when protests have taken place (a bit like Ramsay’s troops did with Jon’s Snow’s enclosing with the shields – before the troops of the Vale came).
Tensor the Mage, laughing at the damage wrought by the ghost of English nationlism,
I think Eire (the Irish Republic) might possibly benefit short-term at least with showrunners from outside Europe looking for an olde-worldy setting. I wasn’t particularly struck on “Penny Dreadful” but late nineteenth century London was re-created in Dublin for that show – and for “Ripper Street”.
I imagine we’ll fight for the pound. We’ve already spent however many centuries using it and contributing to its value. It’s not England’s pound, it’s the UK’s, and any of us should be able to continue to use it. Of course, during the Scottish referendum Westminster tried to scare us into thinking that we couldn’t, but that’s all political hot air (like the Leave the EU campaign’s pledge to spend £350 million a week on the NHS rather than the EU: a promise which was reneged on within hours of the result coming in — trolled the country with that one.)
Valaquen,
Yes, all so very true. Although originally from SE London, I have visited Scotland many times and had friends living there. Its a great place.
Whatever the outcome is if there’s a second Scottish referendum – and if you break away from Westminster – for Christ’s sake don’t go the way Eire did and join the euro!
As a side ‘note’, I found that Scotland had its own paper £5 notes which of course were readily accepted within the country as well as £5 sterling, but not so much south of the border! I found that bloody ridiculous – a fiver is a fiver – albeit being a Scottish one or an English one 🙂
We have our own £5 £10, £20, £50, and £100 notes with relevant Scottish figures on them (for example, Robert the Bruce). Unfortunately the English don’t like to accept them, it’s a real hassle trying to pay for a taxi in London with a Scottish £10.
Brexit Shambles?
Please this was a great day for the European citizens of various countries to be able to believe they can overcome the Pseudo Communist Eurocrats who are using the notion of integrated trade as a front to impose an autocratic super-state no one wants (French and Dutch votes in 2004)and whose policies are the slow ruin of each and every European (look at the Greeks)
As far as I’m concerned it’s a great week, first the Starks retake Winterfell back from the Boltons and now the British are re-affirming their sovereignty and control of their destiny
As for the Scots, fair enough the high turnout in Scotland and weighting of the vote gives rise to the conversation of a second referendum, at the same time they will begin to get lukewarm once they realise it is their taxes paying for EU migrant housing, paid for by North Sea Oil which of course has all the risks of Dutch disease
Look at the trend, Greeks nearly left last year, other countries have stalled applications to join the Eurozone, Switzerland formally withdrew their application following a stasis of 20 year suspension just before the Brexit referendum so the momentum is very much one of disentangling from this flawed project based on Monnet and others ignorance.
Britain just achieved “first mover advantage”
Yeah i got a 10 pound note change at Newcastle airport on my way down to Bristol, thankfully when I tried to use it there and they were a bit iffy there was someone close on hand to explain it was still legal tender etc
Think it has to do with the unfamiliarity, eg first instinct is the pictures different and so maybe it is counterfeit in some way
Anyway rather dissapointed as this site is where I go to as escapism, but having to listen to supposedly sophisticated people arguing to stay as part of a fledgeling Police State making noises about starting their own EU Army is bizarre
Exactly
All people have done is say they want to be like Switzerland
The EU tried the same fear and blackmail tactics against other countries in the 90’s etc (Norway I think) to get them to sign up but they opted not to do so and as such were fine
There are however global challenges ahead because of Central Bank interest rate policy and bubbles forming but cross that Bridge when it comes to it etc
Well, Kit make his feeling very clear and loud. Jon Snow is NOT here for this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZxnvonT3_4
Yep, I can well believe it. Its just crazy!
I wonder what the situation would be if Scotland does break away from the UK (and N.I. also) and whatever is left of Britain (no longer being a “United Kingdom”) is out of the EU. Would one have to carry a passport to cross the border? 😉
I presume Scotland would have a similar status like Eire which of course is still in the EU albeit they made a bad decision and adopted the euro currency! However, England and Wales although geographically in Europe would I guess become like Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Its all so bloody complicated. IMO far better if the UK had never joined the common market back in the 1970’s. When I was born, Britain still had an Empire, but those days are long gone 🙂
We better stop this as its well off topic, but Game of Thrones isn’t so different with different parts of Westeros wanting their independence and who refuse to swear allegiance to whoever sits on the Iron Throne!
Ghosts Lunch,
Well stated… I couldn’t agree more 🙂
Ahh – look at it this way? The EU (and the Euro MP’s getting fat in Brussels) equate to the Iron Throne and the member states who are now seeing through ‘The Mummer’s Farce’ are thinking of following the UK and also wanting to haul their arses out of it 😀
tyjon,
Well said
Technically Scottish banknotes are NOT legal tender, but a promissory note on behalf of the bank that issues them. RBS, Clydesdale Bank, HBOS etc have to keep the equivalent in Sterling in reserve for every note they issue (the Bank of England issues them with £1million notes for this, which all sit in vaults in Edinburgh, they are really cool to look at).
Banks in other areas such as Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man also issue their own notes.
Ironically the only people i’ve had trouble with accepting a Scottish note are bar-staff and checkout staff from other parts of the EU who were unaware of the existence of such notes (and one bus driver in Sheffield who explained that they were the wrong size to go through his machine which I thought was a fair excuse).
Presumably Scotland would be forced to join the Euro (and meet the financial criteria meaning super austerity in the short term to reduce the deficit below 3%) as the price of re-entry if they go down that route. So they would lose all that…
streetad,
Very interesting! I never realised the Scottish banks needed to keep £1M Sterling in their vaults to cover their use… Fine on the bus driver in Sheffield. I quite understand his reasoning (size wise) and why he couldn’t accept them 🙂
Well, if Scotland (or NI) wish to remain within the EU and are forced to change to the Euro – they will end up in deep shit and the cost of living will soar! The single currency is a disaster 🙁 The best thing the UK ever did was to keep the pound.
However, I saw on Sky News earlier that Scotland simply couldn’t renegotiate to remain in the EU at the present time. The ‘Masters in Brussels’ (Kings Landing) have said so! Even if they break away from the UK at a future time, it could take years. So I bet Nicola Sturgeon is no happy bunny on hearing that news 🙂
I’m so happy we left that tyrannical, fast sinking ship. And it’s no surprise that this is doesn’t affect GoT, not only because we won’t leave until 2018 (and GoT will end in two seasons apparently), but also because of the reasons stated above.
Apollo,
xenophobic and ignorant bile…
I’m not from the UK but can one really label these people as such, seeing as we live in a world where terrorism is a real and occurring event? I judge people individually, never by race, but on a whole isn’t it just self preservation in a country’ best interest to monitor immigration when all this is going on with threats that have poured in mostly from a certain part of the world? I’ll have to read up on what all this pull out entails but from how it’s described thus far part of it obviously has to do with a difference of opinion stemming back from when Merkel was telling eastern Europe countries they had to take in thousands of refugees even if they were found not to have come from the war torn countries which would have afforded them refugee status etc.
Jinx47,
He’s young. You know what they say ‘If you’re not a liberal when you’re 25, you have no heart. If you’re not a conservative by the time you’re 35, you have no brain’ lol. I’ve been worn out on politics so I’ve stayed away from the news for awhile now (Donald and Hillary that’s the best we can do ugh!) so I just started looking into this Brexit thing and seeing how divided the UK is, the vitriol against each other just like it’s been here in the US for awhile is sad to see.
Well, leaving banknotes aside, at the end of the day, Scotland might be who can save the Union and help us get out of this mess.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36633244?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_breaking&ns_source=twitter&ns_linkname=news_central
It’s “aftermath”, not aftermatch”; also it’s “principal”, not “principle” filming sites.
Apparently not, after all the Bureaucrats have their procedures…
Makes sense, rather than obstructing the UK vote, wait until we have left by 2018 at the latest, am quite confident the Scots will be lukewarm about leaving the UK in favour of the EU by then once they start to understand more clearly what the pros and cons are
Besides, inbetween that time we have elections in France which will see the end of Hollande, Netherlands and Germany so the conversation about the EU Project shall have evolved by that time
ygritte,
Well said, this is what some people are stereotyping it as but it is more complex than that
It’s all been rather acrimonious as it touches on some deep divisions within the UK, eg between London and the rest of England, and England/Wales and Scotland etc but also the Working and Middle Classes vs the Political, Media and Cultural establishment
There’s many layers to it but in essence we are just saying we want our relationship to be more in keeping with Switzerland etc, The EU Project we voted to leave in 2016 is very different to the supposedly Common Market trading bloc that we voted into in the 1970’s
Black Raven,
Lol
Dare I say ahead of todays episode Nicola Sturgeon is going to be as dissapointed in her dealings with Brussels as Littlefinger is with Sansa in the WF Godswood…”you know what I want…”
Apollo,
which gods are you praying to? The old gods ? or the new? or the drowned god? or the lord of light? or some other?
Season 7 has Already been written, Recording starts on 1st August.
My theory (not based on anything just my theory) is that GRRM won’t publish any more books until the whole series is over. Or at least he won’t publish anything that hasn’t already been shown. I think he was annoyed that people complained the TV show didn’t follow the books. And he didn’t like the spoilers. He did say that he wrote the series with the thought that HBO would turn it into a show. So I think he’s more interested in the show than in the books.