‘Game of Thrones’ - HBO’s epic fantasy series based on the books by George R.R. Martin, has begun production on season 4 - with filming again taking place in Northern Ireland, Iceland and Croatia to cover the various landscapes of Westeros.
Season 4 will cover the second half of the third book ‘A Storm of Swords’, following the dramatic events at the end of season three which set chat forums across the world alight with discussion.
Northern Ireland locations used in the series have so far included Paint Hall Studios in Belfast, the Linen Mill Film and TV Studio, Shane’s Castle Estate and Redhall Estate in Antrim, Audley’s castle tower in Down and Tollymore Forest.
The series has received funding from the Northern Ireland Screen fund, supported by Invest NI and was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Season 4 units will also commence filming later this month in Iceland, for locations North of the Wall, and Dubrovnik in Croatia, which has doubled as King’s Landing since season two.
Returning Irish actors include Jack Gleeson as Joffrey; Aiden Gillen as Lord Baelish; Liam Cunningham as Davos Seaworth; and Ciaran Hinds as Mance Rayder, King Beyond the Wall.
Major casting announcements are expected to be announced by showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss at San Diego Comic-Con later this month – following the first piece of casting news that actor Pedro Pascal has signed on to play the ‘Red Viper’ Oberyn Martell.
