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‘Game of Thrones’ Renewed for Fifth & Sixth Seasons
09 Apr 2014 : Aisling Newton
The ‘Game of Thrones’ phenomenon has announced it is renewing for a fifth and sixth season on HBO.

The news came just a day after the fourth season premiered on Sky Atlantic, which chronicles events that take place toward the end of the third book. The fantasy sage achieved its highest ratings to date with the release of its fourth season on Monday and is now the first multi-season pickup for the Northern Ireland production. Creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have based the fourth season on the second half of George R.R. Martin’s ‘A Storm of Swords’. Executive producing Season 4 are Benioff, Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger and Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers are Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis and George R.R. Martin; and producers are Chris Newman and Greg Spence.

“‘Game of Thrones’ is a phenomenon like no other,” HBO president Michael Lombardo said in the announcement. “David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, along with their talented collaborators, continue to surpass themselves, and we look forward to more of their dazzling storytelling.”

Filmed in Ballintoy Harbour, the ‘Game of Thrones’ production is having a positive knock-on-effect on the Northern Ireland economy. Tourists from all over the world are travelling to visit the various sites where the series is filmed. Christine McComb, co-owner of McCombs Travel, the Belfast coach company operating tours to the filming locations, said: “These fans are like the new-style Trekkies. The great thing is that these are not people who are coming to Northern Ireland anyway; they are coming because of ‘Game of Thrones’.

In the five years since ‘Game of Thrones’ began filming in the region, the biggest TV production in Europe has become big news to the Northern Irish economy. It has brought in millions in direct economic benefit and hundreds of jobs on set, in hotels, services and within the tourism industry. The Emmy and Golden Globe winning programme not only adds direct employment but also spin-off jobs in extras and post-production companies.

Also filmed in Northern Ireland is BBC Two’s police drama ‘Line of Duty’, which has announced its return for a further two seasons. Supported by Northern Ireland Screen, the programme, written by Jed Mercurio (Bodies), about a police anti-corruption unit will return for two stretches of six one-hour episodes. It is the latest BBC drama filmed in Belfast to attract high praise, following last year's ‘The Fall’ starring Jamie Dornan and Gillian Anderson, which will also return for a second series. ‘Line of Duty’ was first filmed in Birmingham but moved for its second series to Belfast. Speaking about the move, Mercurio said: “The change of location was part of the production order from the BBC when the second series was commissioned. Belfast was a great place to film and worked very well for the series.” The programmes return was announced yesterday as part of commissions to mark the 50th anniversary of BBC2.

Northern Ireland Screen has recently built an additional two sound studios in its Titanic Quarter site and has applied for permission for further expansion to accommodate its booming film industry. With its particular wide range of geographical locations within a short distance from Belfast, Northern Ireland is fast becoming the preferred destination for filming projects with the government's tax relief on high-end TV dramas adding to the overall appeal.



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