Game of Thrones Season Seven Cast, Release Date and What to expect

News about the premier of Season 7 of the fascinating series 'Game of Thrones' has been withheld from the public ears with the observers only knowing that as is normal, they would have to wait until after April which is the traditional release time for the series.

However, HBO has released a poster of how the series would look like and its release date on Facebook, a move that has raised the urge of GoT fans around the globe to watch the show. Here is all you need to know:

When will GoT Season 7 air?

HBO has finally revealed that the long-awaited 'Game of Thrones' Season 7 will premiere on July 16th in the US and the on the 17th in the UK where it will be aired by Sky Atlantic. The unveiling was done on Facebook Live with a video of a melting block of ice that unveils the date of the premier. This was accompanied by the play of the first trailer in a move to show what was to be expected in the new season and also to tease GoT fans around the globe.

'We're starting a bit later because at the end of this season, 'Winter is here' – and that means that sunny weather doesn't really serve our purposes anymore' showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss confirmed

The season showcases the winter period in all the seven kingdoms, an aspect that made the creators of the show to film it sometime later this year. The actual filming is believed to have taken place well into February 2017.

Which of the characters is coming back for season 7?

Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Lena Headey (Cersei), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime), Sophie Turner (Sansa), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and Maisie Williams (Arya) have all been confirmed to form part of the casting crew in the new season, so expect to see them.

On the other hand, whether they will survive past season 7 is not a guarantee considering the fact that previous stars in the show have been promptly released from the cast even after there was an assurance that they would stay longer as part of the show’s crew. E.g Natalie Dormer who was killed off in a fire at the end of season 6 despite being opted for as one of the actors to appear in season 7.

Others returning in Season 7 include, Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth, Carice van Houten as Melisandre, Aidan Gillen as Petyr Baelish, Nathalie Emmanuel as Missander, Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand, Rory McCann as Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane, Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy, Conleth Hill as Varys, John Bradley as Samwell Tarly, Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane, Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth, Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark, , Iain Glen as Jorah Mormont, Jerome Flynn as Bronn and Hannah Murray as Gilly.

The cast however in February lost Neil Fingleton who played as Mag the Mighty and who was also UK’s tallest man due to heart failure at the tender age of 36.

How many episodes will Season Have and what should we expect

Unlike the preceding seasons which had 10 episodes per season, the seventh season will only have seven episodes, with five episodes having been released already. HBO has decided to break the season into two with season eight being rumored to have only six episodes. HBO has also confirmed that despite the fewer episodes, the last two seasons will culminate in some of the most thrilling seasons of the renowned series. It will contain more dragon action as well as more torture action. The filming company acknowledges that it is pushing its cast to the limit in a bid to guarantee the viewer a fascinating experience.

Most of the GoT fans can’t wait until July to get a glimpse of their favorite series and one of the top-rated series of all time once it hits the screens. All we can do is wait and hope for the best.