The legendary Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado tournament is set to kick off tomorrow at the breathtaking Castillo de Almodóvar del Río in Córdoba
fourteen of the world's most skilled players will converge for this prestigious event
competing in multiple titles from the beloved Age of Empires franchise
The tournament will feature intense battles in Age of Empires I
and the newly remastered Age of Mythology: Retold
drawing fans and players alike into the iconic real-time strategy (RTS) universe
is a pioneering RTS game where players build and expand civilizations through resource management
It allows players to guide their chosen civilization through various historical eras
simulating military campaigns and battles inspired by real-world history
Each entry in the Age of Empires series introduces new mechanics
and improvements that keep the game fresh while maintaining the core strategic gameplay that has captivated fans for decades
reigning champions Roberto "TaToH" Jiménez (Age of Empires II) and Alexis "MarineLorD" Eusebio (Age of Empires IV) will be defending their titles against a star-studded roster of competitors
Other top contenders include Hamzah "Hera" El-Baher and Kai "Liereyy" Kallinger
Spectators can expect thrilling clashes of strategy and skill as these players compete for dominance
the tournament will be hosted by renowned esports personalities Riley Knight and Salome "Soe" Gschwind-Repp
with a lineup of experienced commentators like Tristan "T90Official" Berry and Darren "KillerPigeon" Elmy providing expert analysis throughout the event
The competition will culminate with grand finals across all games on October 6
making this an unforgettable event for both players and fans
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Gen.G wrapped up the Alpha group stage with the region's best record and has already secured its spot at Masters Toronto
leaving three other South Korean squads to battle in the lower bracket of the
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drawing 160 squads from around the world to compete for a $1 million prize pool
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2024 – After a tournament of breathtaking battles and fierce strategy
champions have emerged victorious at Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024
claiming titles across four legendary Age of Empires games in front of a roaring crowd at the iconic Castillo de Almodóvar del Río
In one of the most epic Age of Empires showdowns in recent history
these skilled strategists conquered a star-studded field of global competitors to etch their names into the annals of Wololo history
The champions of Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024 are:
these four players reigned supreme across AoE I
Their triumphant journeys through the castle's medieval courtyard
a setting befitting the Age of Empires saga
culminated in stunning grand finales that captivated fans both live and online
The seventh edition of Red Bull Wololo saw Age of Empire II champion
battle against a fiercely competitive roster to claim a well-deserved victory
Facing down 2021 champion Ørjan "TheViper" Larsen in a thrilling grand final
the pair’s display of brilliant strategic play
showmanship and impressive skill saw that the fight for the crown remained intense until the final moment
Age of Mythology: Retold also made its competitive debut at Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024
Themistoklis “TheMista” Bonidis claimed the title of inaugural champion
demonstrating exceptional skill and bringing glory to their chosen god
Nguyễn "Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng" Đức Bình emerged victorious after a fearsome showdown against Đỗ "Xuân Thứ" Thứ
while the Age of Empires IV grand final saw Alexis “MarineLorD” Eusebio crowned
welcomed a blend of seasoned professionals and rising stars
all seeking to prove their dominance across the Age of Empires universe
As the newest champions of the esteemed Red Bull Wololo series
these players lay claim not only to prestigious titles but also global recognition among Age of Empires dedicated community
took place in the breathtaking surroundings of the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río in Cordoba
an immersive location that added an extra layer of grandeur to the competition
The incredible event saw players face off in LAN battles within the castle walls
with a live audience of fans witnessing thrilling culminations of in-game ranked ladder champions
The final stage of the competition saw intense matchups that had the audience on the edge of their seats
The Red Bull Wololo series has long been the gold standard for Age of Empires esports
the tournament continues to elevate the competitive scene
AMD and Backforce delivering the ultimate gaming experience for players
Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado was an unforgettable spectacle
Assets for Red Bull Wololo can be found here
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@redbullgaming
AGON by AOCThe sub-brand of AOC
returns to join the Red Bull Gaming universe once again
bringing the event to life and providing cutting-edge hardware for the esports tournament
AGON by AOC will provide top-notch high-performance gaming monitors for the ultimate gaming experience for contestants
High refresh rates and short response times mean competitors will have the best in-game experience
an up-and-coming brand that is part of the renowned Interstuhl Büromöbel GmbH & Co
has been dedicated to developing and producing high-quality
ergonomic gaming chairs and supporting the gaming scene since it was founded in 2019
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Backforce is one of the leading suppliers of ergonomic gaming chairs in Europe
AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing
Billions of people leading Fortune 500 businesses and cutting-edge scientific research institutions around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live
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will be opened next year and is expected to cut the journey time between Malaga and Seville to less than 1.5 hours
It was an apparently simple project when it was put out to tender in 2019
Work on the rail link in the municipality of Almodóvar del Río started in June 2020
with an initial deadline of just 20 months
meaning it should have been finished by March 2022
Whilst the project has not yet been completed
Spain's transport minister Óscar Puente has made this one of his key projects for Andalucía
during a meeting with the minister of public works
committed that high-speed trains between Malaga and Seville will be able to travel in one hour and 35 minutes from 2025
The current journey time is one hour and 55 minutes
SUR has contacted the transport minister's office to confirm a precise date
signalling and railway safety work is being carried out
tests required by the state railway safety agency will need to be carried out before the bypass can officially be opened
The delay was mainly due to the need to carry out a modification to improve drainage under the new tracks
due to how close it was to a stream that flows into the Guadalquivir
An unforeseen diversion of a high-voltage line also impacted the project's delay
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After a tournament of breathtaking battles and fierce strategy
these four players reigned supreme across AoE I
Their triumphant journeys through the castle’s medieval courtyard
a setting befitting the Age of Empires saga
Facing down 2021 champion Ørjan “TheViper” Larsen in a thrilling grand final
Age of Mythology: Retold also made its competitive debut at Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024
Nguyễn “Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng” Đức Bình emerged victorious after a fearsome showdown against Đỗ “Xuân Thứ” Thứ
while the Age of Empires IV grand final saw Alexis “MarineLorD” Eusebio crowned
with a live audience of fans witnessing thrilling culminations of in-game ranked ladder champions
The final stage of the competition saw intense matchups that had the audience on the edge of their seats
The iconic Castillo de Almodóvar del Río provided a stunning backdrop for Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024
where champions were crowned in an epic display of strategy and skill across four legendary Age of Empires games
players Hamzah “Hera” El-Baher
Themistoklis “TheMista” Bonidis
and Nguyễn "Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng" Đức Bình emerged victorious
The tournament featured top-tier talent from around the globe
hosted by Riley Knight and Salome “Soe” Gschwind-Repp
showcased a mix of seasoned professionals and rising stars
all eager to prove their dominance in the Age of Empires universe
Nguyễn "Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng" Đức Bình claimed the title in Age of Empires I after a fierce showdown against Đỗ "Xuân Thứ" Thứ
Hamzah “Hera” El-Baher triumphed in a thrilling final against 2021 champion Ørjan "TheViper" Larsen
demonstrating remarkable strategy and skill
Alexis “MarineLorD” Eusebio was crowned champion in Age of Empires IV
while Themistoklis “TheMista” Bonidis took home the inaugural title in Age of Mythology: Retold
marking a notable debut for the game in the tournament
The enchanting setting of the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río not only amplified the grandeur of the event but also provided a historic ambiance for the LAN battles
were treated to thrilling matchups featuring ranked ladder champions
showcasing the players' exceptional talents
This year’s Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado was supported by industry-leading partners AGON by AOC
ensuring an unparalleled gaming experience for competitors
As the seventh edition of the tournament concludes
it solidifies its status as the gold standard for Age of Empires esports
continuing to elevate the competitive scene
The champions of Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024 are as follows:
With this latest chapter in the Red Bull Wololo series
these champions not only earned prestigious titles but also secured their place in the hearts of the dedicated Age of Empires community
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Sport | Horse Racing
Our horse racing tipster is back with his latest selections for Friday
It’s a busy meet at Wolverhampton
This race is a wide-open affair with three horses declared who won last time out - The Thames Boatman
All of those three are now higher in the handicap as a result
If you are looking for better value than those short-odds horses
The eight-year-old gelding has been a steady performer at this level but has now been dropped back down the weights after a couple of disappointing appearances this year where he lacked the finish to win
Lihou is now back below his handicap rating of his last win
and so he will definitely be up there in contention with the leaders and could deliver again
This five-year-old gelding came second last time out at Southwell on January 25 after leading until the final furlong
but was only beaten by 3/4 lengths by repeat winner Bobby Joe Leg
That was Almodovar's first run in eight months so he can be forgiven for being a bit rusty
and if he improves on that performance then he should have enough to win this
One serious challenger could be four-year-old gelding Beylerbeyi
but he has a tendency of starting too keenly and has previously fallen away at the finish
This eight-year-old mare is seeking her third back-to-back victory this month
following wins at Southwell and Wolverhampton
Saturday horse racing tips: Ramazan can upset odds at Glorious Goodwood
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This race is two furlongs longer than those wins but shouldn't present any issues for a horse who showed stamina and speed at 1m 4f and pulled away in the final furlong to win by a length-and-a-half at this track just a week ago
She has been reunited with jockey Jason Hart
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Posted in: Age Of Empires, eSports, Games, Video Games | Tagged: Red Bull, Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado
Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado has revealed their full lineup of tournaments as there will be four different Age of Empires competitions
Red Bull has released new details for their next Age of Empires esports competition, as Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado will take place this October in Spain
This will be an in-person LAN tournament held at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río in Cordoba
Players will have a chance to compete in four different AoE titles
vying to be a part of the in-person event via online tournaments
We have the finer details of what's happening below
2024 - The gauntlet has once more been thrown as Red Bull Wololo
the legendary Age of Empires LAN competition
Gaming gladiators professional and amateurs alike from across the realm will descend on Cordoba
to battle across the iconic Age of Empires titles and be crowned Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado champions
This year’s edition is set within the majestic Castillo de Almodóvar del Río
a fitting backdrop for an almighty LAN battle as players vie to conquer the competition
There are plenty of opportunities to allow fearless contenders a chance to qualify for the finals at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río
and qualifiers from Microsoft's in-game ladder
with only a select few to be directly invited
The qualifying process for each game are as follows:
The first edition of Red Bull Wololo began in 2020 and
a competitive nature within Age of Empires has thrived as new rivalries and storylines have emerged
Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado embodies the spirit of camaraderie and competition that defines the Age of Empires series and has grown over time into a tournament of epic proportions that draws champions and challengers from across the globe
taking place in 2022 at the world-famous Heidelberg Castle in Germany
saw Roberto "TaToH" Jiménez seize the crown and the coveted $60,000 prize
He will now return for this year’s edition
invited back to defend his title in his home country
the valiant efforts of Kai "Liereyy" Kallinger
who is widely considered to be one of the best Age of Empires players in the world
Red Bull Wololo: Enthrone saw Ørjan "TheViper" Larsen steal victory from Kai "Liereyy" Kallinger with a 4:3 score in the grand final
For this year’s edition of Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado
the main stage will be set beneath the open skies
where more than 500 souls may gather to witness the clash of titans and the rise of new legends
the champion of Red Bull Wololo: Legacy in Age of Empires IV will be waiting at the castle to defend his title from new contenders
Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado will feature four thrilling games
each showcasing the best that the Age of Empires series has to offer:
The tournament will unfold over four days of intense competition
Days one and two will see group stages and qualifiers
while day three will feature semi-finals and the thrilling Age of Empires IV finals
The grand finale on the fourth day will showcase the climactic battles of Age of Empires I
Working alongside Age of Empires game developer World's Edge
Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado has teamed up with industry leaders to produce an unforgettable seventh chapter in the unique event series
returns as the Official Monitor Partner for the event
bringing exceptional visual clarity and ultra-high refresh rates to competitors
Part of the renowned Interstuhl Büromöbel GmbH & Co
Backforce will also bring its high-quality
ergonomic gaming chairs to provide competitors with the ultimate gaming experience
Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado offers a chance for community members to be part of the excitement as VIP guests
further cementing its status as a celebration of the Age of Empires community
Assets for Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado can be found here
For more information, head to the Red Bull website
Join in with the rest of the community on Discord
returns to join the Red Bull Gaming universe once again as the official Monitor Partner for Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado
Bringing the event to life and providing cutting-edge hardware for the tournament
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Earnest Yuen's comment regarding Age of Empires more widely played than ever
Age of Empires seems like it's only getting started more than 25 years after it made its debut
The Age of Empires series has been around for more than 25 years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. With the original three games receiving Definitive Edition updates, an Age of Empires 4 release in 2021
the legendary RTS series continues to reach new gamers even in 2024
It just goes to show how popular the game remains even today
And with Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado roping in Age of Empires
and Age of Mythology: Retold gameplay on top of Age of Empires 2: DE
it has the makings of the biggest Age tournament yet
Red Bull Wololo is an Age of Empires tournament originally hosted in 2020
aside from the tournament returning for another year after a short break
is that it's being held in an actual castle in Spain.
The Castillo de Almodóvar del Río was built in the eighth century by the Emirate of Córdoba
and it's situated on a picturesque hill with clear views of the Córdoban countryside
Does it get any better than that for an Age of Empires tournament
It's clear that Age of Empires is on a roll even so many years after it was first introduced to the world
so much so that other RTS games from Microsoft like Age of Mythology are also receiving a remaster
The AoM: Retold version is expected to launch in 2024
and the fact that it's listed as one of the Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado games signals that it could launch before October when the tournament begins
As a longtime fan of the Age of Empires series (I started playing the first game in 1999 and still regularly play Age 2: DE)
I'm also incredibly grateful to the community
and sponsors like Red Bull for keeping the series not only alive but thriving
Hearing from a World's Edge director that Age of Empires is "more widely played than ever" certainly gives many of us a warm feeling
and the whole situation is a testament to the lasting power of great games designed with care
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition — See at Steam
The original version of Age of Empires II is no longer available on Steam
the new Definitive Edition with improved mechanics and visuals can be purchased there
Play against the computer or with friends as you work to prove your skill with civilization building and combat
Cale HuntSocial Links NavigationContributorCale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops
If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware
there’s a good chance he knows about it
Hope BrothertonPublished: Invalid Date
ANDALUSIA is home to plenty of popular well-known holiday destinations
but some places have flown under the radar
Every year, millions of Brits head to Spain for their holidays
One place Brit holidaymakers might not know about is Almodovar del Rio in Andalusia
Located between the Guadalquivir River and the Sierra de Hornachuelos Nature Reserve and mountain range
Almodovar del Rio is a Spanish hilltop town
One of the town's main attractions is its medieval castle, which had a starring role in the seventh season of the hit TV show Game of Thrones
Built in the 8th Century, the castle has undergone several renovations and restorations over the years to feature parts like towers
The castle first opened to visitors in 2001
and it is now owned by Fernando Fernando de Solís and his wife
Entry tickets into the castle, including a cultural guided tour, cost 10 for a full-paying adult and 6 for children aged between 5 to 13.
including historical reenactments from the 14th century
holidaymakers can still cool off in Embalse La Breña
Dubbed "one of the most beautiful lakes in Andalucia" by local travel blogger Amused by Andalucia
is only a few minutes' drive from the Spanish town
In addition to swimming
At a 90-minute drive away, Seville is the closest airport to Almodovar del Rio
Ryanair, easyJet, and British Airways operate direct flights to Seville from airports across London
Prices start from as little as £19 for a one-way ticket
with a flight time of 2 hours and 45 minutes
Accommodation in Almodovar del Rio is extremely affordable too
Sun Online Travel have found an overnight stay at a three-bedroom house in town for as little as £70 per night
There are plenty of other lesser-known and unsung Spanish towns too, including Blanes and Vigo
Brits who don't want to fly to Spain to visit a castle will already know that there are plenty of old fortresses in the UK
One of those is Tamworth Castle in Staffordshire
which was once home to the forgotten warrior queen Aethelflaed
The Midlands castle was also recognised as a Tripadvisor 2023 Travellers’ Choice award winner thanks to glowing customer reviews
And here are 10 of the best castles in the UK where you can spend the night
And one woman revealed how she stayed in an English fairytale castle for just £68 – with a medieval banquet hall & Harry Potter-style rooms
Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/
National Geographic has selected the most interesting villages and towns in Spain for their Middle Ages heritage
a list of 40 municipalities that includes four towns in Andalucía
A perfect option for rural tourism before or just after the summer heat
The cobbled streets and distinctive castles of Almodóvar del Río
in Granada deserve a stop according to this US publication
"Small gems in Spain that are worth visiting
although many of them also boast a gastronomy rich in flavours
an exceptional Jewish quarter or a great bastion that encases it all"
Here you will find an impressive castle that overlooks all the other key monuments in this town
"The most imposing of its nine towers is that of the Homenaje [homage]
where the king would be honoured by his subjects
(there's a lively re-enactment of this); from the rooftop there is a magnificent view of this village of white houses and the countryside that takes you to the distant horizon
but reconstruction work after damage suffered during the Reconquest of Spain has defined its present-day appearance
as it was one of the settings for the series Game of Thrones
at the foot of a mountain where its fortifications rise up
Other places of interest from the past to explore in this beautiful town in Cordoba are the church of the Immaculate Conception
the chapels of El Rosario and San Sebastián and the town's public
Historically a kingdom border town and witness to the War of Granada (1482-1492) in which it played a strategic role
this small town boasts within its walls a village that preserves its Nasrid legacy
and the slits cut into the fortified stone walls that afford the visitor a glimpse of the vastness that lies beyond these walls
clustered atop the mountain that protects it with the reservoir below
stretching out its arms as a mother would to her young
Strolling through the castle grounds is a sheer delight for those who seek tranquillity amid traces of the Middle Ages
Another trip worth proposing would be to the gates of this old town
where the Roman bridge straddles the riverbank
It is one of the most unique parts of this town
copper and other minerals from the surrounding area have stained everything with a reddish hue - the colour as much of giving life as giving in to death
The road that used to pass through here connected the mouth of the Guadiana river with the Roman town of Itálica
and you can sense the centuries of history pressing down on you as you travel along the current road
The bridge has also become the obligatory starting point for a walk through Niebla's long history
The route takes you through a castle that has been destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions
although most of it dates back to 1330 when under Muslim rule
the flagship home of this family of nobles from Huelva
the fourth Andalusian town mentioned in National Geographic is Montefrío
themagazineincludeditinitslistofthetentownswiththebestviewsintheworld
which is why the town's most well-known viewpoint was renamed National Geographic Viewpoint
Montefrío grew up around a great castle that fell to the Catholic Monarchs in 1486
A stroll through its streets uncovers traces of this history through its monuments and squares
such as the castle that presides over the town"
In 1982 it was declared a National Historic-Artistic Site
Red Bull Wololo
the renowned Age of Empires LAN tournament
makes its comeback this year with the Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado
the competition brings together the best players in the Age of Empires series across the world
Red Bull has announced the details of the tournament
Here’s everything you need to know about the Red Bull Wololo El Reinado
Red Bull Wololo is an iconic global tournament featuring different games of the Age of Empires series
Age of Empires comprises a collection of historical real-time strategy video games
originally developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios
spanning from the Stone Age to the Iron Age; the later games expanded the timeline to include the Middle Ages and beyond
Players choose a civilization and advance it through the ages
The goal of the game is typically to defeat all opposing civilizations
The Age of Empires series has been a commercial success
It is considered one of the most influential real-time strategy games of all time and has spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs
Red Bull Wololo El Reinado features four of the nine titles in the series: Age of Empires I
Reigning champions Roberto “TaToH” Jiménez (Age of Empires II) and Alexis “MarineLorD” Eusebio (Age of Empires IV) from Red Bull Wololo: Legacy in 2022 are back to defend their respective crowns against a slew of contenders
the best players from the qualifiers clash in Age of Empire I and Age of Mythology: Retold
The main event takes place from October 3 to 6
Qualification through the ranked ladder for Age of Empires II
with the four highest-ranked players entering the main event
A last chance qualifier happens from August 10 to 18
2024 to determine the players taking the final two spots
the qualifying tournament takes place from July 20 to August 4
with the top two players advancing to the main event
a qualifier in Vietnam occurs before the main event to determine the finalists
online qualifiers are set before the main event to identify the two players joining the two direct invites in the LAN tournament
You can catch the action live on the following official channels of Red Bull Gaming:
For more details regarding the tournament, as well as the registration for the qualifiers, head over to the event’s official website
READ MORE: How to register for Arena Breakout Infinite closed beta
Sign up for a free ONE Esports account and start engaging with other fans
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Young Isle of Man motocross competitor Torrin Lennon has impressed again with a win and podium finish on his return to this year's FAM Andalusian Motocross Championship in Spain
During the third and latest round at Almodovar del Rio on Sunday (20 April) the Island rider claimed victory in the first of two races in the MX50 class a lap clear of his nearest competitor
Whilst fighting for the lead in race two Lennon became delayed by a crash and had to settle for second spot
33.477 seconds behind race winner Samuel Adam Gardyna
After managing first and second-placed finishes in the opening phase of the championship in February
Lennon missed round two due to a minor injury
The idea of an A-92 motorway-type link between Malaga and Granada on Spain's national railway network gained a lot of traction in the first decade of this century and even became part of an agreement by which the national government and the Junta de Andalucía shared the costs of the stretches to be built
The regional government also invested almost 300 million euros in a direct high-speed rail link between Malaga and Seville
Sixty per cent of the track bed had been laid
although no concrete decisions have been taken yet
the improvement of the Granada connection is gaining momentum
The national government in Madrid has just activated plans to complete the Loja bypass
which is vital to link the centres of both cities in 55 minutes
The initial forecast is that Malaga and Granada will get their faster connection in 2026
there are links between the two cities: the most competitive
The main stumbling block was the aforementioned bypass
it is necessary to cross an adapted section of the old track in Loja
Work on the Antequera-Granada high speed link began in 2009 and is now heading towards completed with the go-ahead to the state railway infrastructure operator (Adif) to put out to tender the 3.2-kilometre section of the Loja bypass of the Antequera-Granada high-speed line in Granada province
The specific section is the Loja-Riofrío bypass and the budget amounts to 57 million euros
Drafting of the projects for other sections of the 19-kilometre Loja bypass are being finalised
These are the Loja-A92 bypass and the Loja-Valle del Genil bypass
The viaduct over the conventional Bobadilla-Granada line has already been completed
The section to be put out to tender includes the section where the future Loja high-speed station and its car parks will be located
as well as some structural elements (such as a subway between platforms) that will facilitate the construction of the station in the future
The passage of the Antequera-Granada high-speed line through the Loja region is taking place in an environmentally sensitive area
in which the presence of an aquifer stands out
a third of the route runs through tunnels or viaducts
south of the town of Loja and the A-92 motorway
Genil (794 metres) and Salar (693 metres) are also major features
The latter will protect an area of great archaeological value
Major tunnels include the Cerro de los Limones (1.3 km)
Las Monjas (693 metres) and Los Abades (615m)
The Almodovar del Río bypass will be put into service in the near future and will allow the Malaga-Seville journey to be reduced to 1 hour and 35 minutes as part of a government project
The idea expressed by Moreno that the Andalusian government would reinstate the initial high-speed train project to connect Seville and Malaga in less than an hour is currently only a proposal without any work being done
although the regional Government announced a few months ago that the relevant studies would begin
Adif has awarded another million-euro contract related to the high-speed rail network
It will allocate nearly 80 million euros to the conservation and maintenance works of the infrastructure of the Cordoba-Malaga and Antequera-Granada high-speed lines
The 48-month contract covers the maintenance of the superstructure (track and bed)
track equipment (turnouts and expansion equipment) and maintenance bases (buildings and auxiliary facilities)
In the case of the Hornachuelos and Antequera bases for the maintenance of the Cordoba-Malaga line
the contract has been awarded to the joint venture made up of Agrupación Guinovart Obras y Servicios Hispania
Contratas y Ventas and Ferrovial Construcción
The services from the Antequera base for the maintenance of the Antequera-Granada line will be carried out by the joint venture comprising Ferrovial Construcción
Agrupación Guinovart Obras y Servicios Hispania
Contratas y Ventas and Rover Rail for a budget of 23.8 million euros
Malaga laid the foundations for a true rail revolution
The major milestones came with the Cordoba-Malaga AVE (high-speed train)
the laying of a second track on 65% of the Malaga-Fuengirola Cercanías line and the commissioning of two Malaga metro lines
the high-speed lines from Malaga to Seville and Granada remain incomplete
although progress is being made; work on the Bobadilla-Ronda-Antequera high performance freight line is gradually gathering pace; but the Costa train to Marbella is still on the sidelines
El Palo and Rincón de la Victoria; the possibility of new local services such as the Málaga-Antequera line
The direct Malaga-Seville AVE is no more than a mere promise of a project that
out of the ten important rail projects for the province of Malaga
When the Cordoba-Malaga AVE line was built the opportunity was missed to include a detour at Almodóvar del Río
which is where the Malaga line separates from the Seville line
So high speed trains between Malaga and Seville have to go into Cordoba station and out again
The contract for the bypass project to cut out the Cordoba corner
which would shorten the journey time between the two cities by 20 minutes (to 1 hour and 35 minutes)
the works are progressing very slowly and have been subject to modifications
they will cost around 28 million euros and the section is unlikely to be in use before 2025
The 'A-92 railway' (so-called as it would be the railway version of the motorway between the two cities) gained a lot of momentum in the first decade of this century and even became part of an agreement whereby the central government and the Andalusian regional government shared the investment and the sections to be built
the Andalusian government invested almost 300 million in the project that was abandoned in 2013
Sixty percent of the trackbed had already been built
it is an idea that president Juan Manuel Moreno has promised to recover
but there are no signs so far of any steps forward
Part of this line under construction has been used for the mid-distance trains after a landslide caused serious problems to the old line
The two cities are already connected by train
but the high speed service is still waiting for the completion of the section passing Loja
the fastest train to Granada takes 1 hour and 18 minutes
The high speed service should cut journey time between the cities to 55 minutes
Work on the Antequera-Granada AVE began in 2009
The Loja-Riofrío section has just entered the construction phase with a budget of 57 million euros
But there are more sections to the Loja bypass which total 19 kilometres
The rest of the projects are being drafted
These are the Loja-A92 section and the Loja-Valle del Genil section
Boost for a key line between the Antequera dry port and Algeciras
This is a long-awaited project at a national level as it is the southern culmination of the Atlantic and Mediterranean rail freight corridors
It is of vital importance because it will create a 'rail motorway' between Zaragoza and Algeciras
with a stop at the future Antequera dry port logistics hub
The Bobadilla-Ronda-Algeciras line is very old
For decades it has had to contend with the limited budgetary allocations granted by successive national governments and the complex environmental procedures (the Campillos lagoon area
in recent months it has experienced some momentum and 70% of its budget (472 million euros) has already been mobilised
The latest contract awarded is for 13.2 million euros for the renovation of the section between San Pablo and Almoraima (between the provinces of Cadiz and Malaga)
The plan for the complete renovation of the Bobadilla-Algeciras line
in addition to the modernisation of the track
includes the implementation of a third rail
its electrification and the extension of the sidings to accommodate longer trains
The master plan approved for this line ends in 2028
making this the most promising deadline for doubling the capacity of the Port of Algeciras to receive or launch freight trains
The much-demanded train line still to get off the ground
Connecting Malaga and Marbella by train is an old ambition that has accumulated as many promises as railway formats have been proposed
there is a growing trend that the ideal system is a shuttle or fast train between the two cities
at some point the extension of the Malaga-Fuengirola Cercanías was on the table
but this option has been ruled out because it is already a 45-minute journey and the line is saturated
A second track could only be laid in three sub-sections due to the lack of land available on the Costa del Sol
Plans to link the Costa del Sol by means of a 'metropolitan' rail system were also under way at one point
It was budgeted at four billion euros by the then Ministry of Public Works of the Junta de Andalucía and
a preliminary contract for a double tunnel in La Cala de Mijas was awarded for an amount close to 200 million euros in 2009
The crisis came and the work was deprogrammed and shelved
There are civil movements such as Plataforma Infraestructuras
which proposes taking the train to Marbella by an alternative inland route via the Guadalhorce Valley
It would allow for a new route at maximum speed
which would mean a journey time of 40 or 50 minutes
The idea is that it would run through the two Alhauríns
Another innovative project is that of consultant Lluis Sanvicens
a Catalan who has lived in the province for almost two decades
who claims that Marbella could be reached in less than an hour by designing a viaduct over the motorway
Taking the old railway line into the Port of Malaga underground is an old project that right now is not even at square one
which estimated the cost to be 50 million euros
While Malaga Port could never aspire to be as important as Algeciras in terms of freight
the scheme would be key for exports to Morocco
The tracks and stations are ready and the local councils of Malaga and Antequera are keen to get the service going
the central government has not shown the slightest interest in providing them
Antequera's second AVE station was opened (Santa Ana
This makes Antequera the only place in Spain with two AVE stations apart from Madrid
This opens up a range of very important connections
including the possibility of a Malaga-Antequera local Cercanías line; the current services are few and expensive
The north extension of line 2 is under way
The countdown to the arrival of the metro to the Civil Hospital and the future regional hospital has begun
the regional Ministry of Public Works awarded Sando
in a joint venture with Kerkros Innovaciones
the contract for the first section of the tunnel from El Corte Inglés
under Calle Hilera and up to the junction with Calle Santa Elena
The budget is 45 million and the deadline is three years
which stop at Eugenio Gross and the hospital complex
it was proposed that Malaga Metro's line 1 would reach the technology park above ground
It would be an uncomplicated and relatively cheap project
considering that the metro is not the right transport system to relieve the traffic jams at rush hour
Experts agree that a branch line of the Cercanías C2
Initially an underground project was drawn up for a Metro line 3 between La Malagueta (where line 1 would originally have stopped)
the Junta de Andalucía was committed to extending the metro to Rincón and later to the defunct Vélez tramway
a rail connection is becoming more and more essential in view of the daily tailbacks on the motorway east of Malaga
Experts hope that an extension of the Cercanías local train to the Plaza de la Marina would act as a springboard to launch the service further east
But the format has not been decided and feasibility studies are needed
The most expensive water supply in Spain is in a small town in Malaga province
Valle de Abdalajís (around 2,500 inhabitants) is a permanent headache for managers at Adif
The Spanish rail infrastructure company is still paying for the mistake it made when digging the the tunnels for the high-speed Cordoba-Malaga railway line between 2006 and 2007
when it drilled into the aquifer that supplies the municipality and the surrounding farms
the company has been obliged to supply water to the town by various means
According to data provided by Adif in response to SUR's questions
this has cost more than 25 million euros from 2007 to date
This amount is not far off the 28 million Adif invested in the bypass that next year will shorten by 20 minutes the journey time of high-speed trains between Malaga and Seville in Almodóvar del Rio (Cordoba)
the journey time will be one hour and 35 minutes
Adif spent 8.5 million euros on supplying tankers
a further five million euros has been spent
Adif has been providing the municipality with some 450,000 litres per day
Adif terminated its agreement with the municipality and stopped providing the water by tanker as it had been doing since 2007
the municipality filed a lawsuit and a judge ruled as a precautionary measure that Adif
which is dependent on the Spanish ministry of transport
should continue to pay for the supply until there is a final ruling
as the court has not yet announced its decision
there have been costly attempts to create a stable supply with water recovered from the aquifer in the tunnels
Adif has carried out a project to supply drinking and irrigation water to different areas of the Sierra de Abdalajís
as well as works to collect the water that seeps into the tunnels at the outlet and pump it to a tank at the head of the supply network
Together with the installation of a water treatment plant
road conditioning and even the recovery of the remains of a Roman villa
On the other side is the Valle de Abdalajís town council
Its mayor Virginia Romero has been in charge for a year (since the last municipal elections) and pointed out water has been one of the biggest challenges for the town since 2007
after the drilling of its main aquifer during the works for the high-speed railway tunnels
the town in the north of the Guadalhorce Valley drank from this natural spring
which made it known as the "village of springs"
"We have been like this for almost 20 years
I hope that the judge will find a solution
such as Adif finally building new water infrastructure
in case the supply from the water tanks is withdrawn," the mayor said
The council has been awaiting the final judgement since 2021
when the municipality filed a complaint against the public railway company
after Adif announced the agreement had been terminated and it was cutting off the supply of water tanks
"The judgement was due to come out a few months ago
but following a request by the lawyers representing us
in which we asked for data on the flow of water coming out of the tunnels
Romero said large lorries that arrive daily are not the ideal solution
because they pose a danger to the town as the roads are narrow and winding
But the mayor is confident that both the regional Junta and the provincial Diputación are working to find a solution
regardless of the outcome of the legal proceedings
"We hope that there will be a definitive solution
but Adif cannot stop the trucks and leave a town without water
it will be the institutions that will have to take charge until a definitive infrastructure is built to supply the municipality," the mayor said
In addition to the difficult situation of the residents
the extreme drought that the area is going through
During the winter these were up to 16 hours a day
although the latest rains have meant "a respite" and cuts have been reduced to the nights
The councillor said a complete renovation of the supply networks is needed
which is one of the most urgent projects: "If we control our use
we will be able to reduce the restrictions much more."
There is something ineffable in its heritage
but also in those magical corners that adhere to the pupils of the traveler
To try to condense the essence of Andalusia to a handful of monuments and essential places would be to reduce the richness of this versatile land to an unfinished guide
But those who are looking to fall in love for the first time will be very satisfied noting for their next trip the most beautiful places in Andalusia
World Heritage Site along with the Cathedral of Seville and the Archivo de Indias, scene of the acclaimed Game of Thrones, among many other television series
is the oldest active royal palace in Europe
There are many virtues of this space and its unique corners
graced with an environment full of greenery
one of the best seasons to visit the city of the Caliphs
the Palacio de Viana or the Mosque-Cathedral combine wonderfully
flamenquín or the delicious eggplants with honey
The Alhambra in Granada is one of the most beautiful and visited monuments in Andalusia and the world
Few more presentations require this heritage treasure that never ceases to overwhelm and trap in each visit
Cazorla impresses in many ways. A paradise of rural tourism with breathtaking landscapes in every corner. It also has El Castillo de la Yedra as icing on the cake and the Palacio de las Cadenas. In addition, you can stay in one of its incredible cave houses.
Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980, Doñana National Park is one of the most remarkable natural treasures on the planet
it stands out as a route for a great variety of migratory species
at the same time refuge and natural space of enormous beauty
with an unprecedented connection between the mining areas of Andévalo (Tharsis
Riotinto,…) and the sea; with the transit of ore to foreign countries
The cultural dimension of the British presence in Huelva is an evidence that
you can also delight in the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Baelo Claudia
Among its many virtues we highlight a pleasant spring without as many people as welcomes in summer
Diving into the crystal clear water will make you feel like in an island paradise
Take advantage of the last vestiges of winter and visit Sierra Nevada and the surrounding towns
The municipality of Lanjaron is the only one nominated among the 7 wonders of nature of the world
Its privileged enclave as well as its remarkable springs have made it one of the most beautiful places in Andalusia
one of those little villages to get lost for a while
Perfect to get lost among its neo-Mudejar spas
a mineral formation that occurs inside volcanic bubbles
an etymological reminder of the ancient Almeria
from Cabo de Gata to the vicinity of the town of Vera
the region of Cuevas de Almanzora and the province of Alborán constitute the most complex volcanic complex of the Iberian Peninsula
13 extinct volcanoes whose activity ceased a million years ago
It has important monuments to take into account as the parish of the Immaculate Conception and the hermitage of Our Lady of the Rosary and San Sebastian
But above all of them stands out the imposing castle of Almodóvar del Río
an amazing architecture that unfolds its arms and accesses the most popular park in the city
This excursion is one of the great tourist attractions of Malaga and a historic place
since it was inaugurated in 1921 by King Alfonso XIII and
although it was closed to the public for several years
today you can walk along it without any problem
24 kilometers of route that takes about 10 hours to complete and leads you to the high peak of Mulhacén
One of the most beautiful peaks in the whole country on a demanding route in the heart of the Sierra Nevada
It is one of the most visited cities in Andalusia
being the New Bridge its most famous tourist attraction
Ronda also has other points of interest such as the Mondragon Palace or the Arab baths
It is worth mentioning (if the gourmets do not already know it) the restaurant Bardal of the chef José Aparicio
its history or the many gastronomic offerings make this inland town of Cadiz (but a few kilometers from the sea) a must on our route
take a look at its viewpoints and photograph splendid panoramic views of the sea at your feet and do not miss its crafts and gastronomy
dotted throughout the length and breadth of the municipality
Beyond being the scene of one of the most iconic series of our history
Nerja is a charming village to get lost in its narrow streets
enjoy its white houses and enjoy the spectacular beaches in Nerja and in the surrounding municipalities
The town of ‘Verano Azul’ remains a perfect destination in summer and also the rest of the year. Visit its famous caves or its forceful waterfalls
discover Frigiliana or Torrox are among its many attractions
There are those who have spent years summering on the Costa del Sol and do not imagine that at the exit of Benalmádena
the walk that leads to the top of a hill leads to one of the most unique castles in the country: the Colomares
exposed brick and white cement that evokes the life and deeds of Christopher Columbus
Calahorra boasts this beautiful castle whose history dates back to 1509
as the first Spanish construction of these characteristics
It is a National Monument although it is a private building that sometimes allows visits to its interior
turquoise waters and a very fine golden sand make up the framework of the beach of the Dead
Free of overcrowding (among other reasons because of its difficult access)
it is an ideal destination for admirers of naturism
This Almeria oasis is located near Carboneras and its name is due to the fact that in the past corpses
used to arrive here because of the sea currents
The slopes of the Guadalporcún river have made possible the creation of one of the most genuine villages of the Sierra de Cádiz
a surprising prehistoric enclave that hides more than one wonder
It is thought that the first settlers of Zuheros
arrived in these lands towards the end of the 9th century
This group of Muslims would settle in an area of crags called “Sujayra” (and which give name to the village) and on one of the cliffs built the imposing castle that presides over Zuheros
the panoramic view of the surroundings is extraordinary
Zuheros is wrapped in an ocean of olive trees and governs the Subbetica from the huge crag on which it is situated
Its streets are labyrinths of lime that hide small squares
It is not surprising that its historic center has been designated as an Asset of Cultural Interest and Zuheros is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Spain and one of the most beautiful places in Andalusia
claiming titles across four legendary Age of Empires games in front of a roaring crowd at the iconic Castillo de Almodóvar del Río
these four players reigned supreme across AoE I, AoE II, AoE IV
Their triumphant journeys through the castle’s medieval courtyard
Facing down 2021 champion Ørjan “TheViper” Larsen in a thrilling grand final
the pair’s display of brilliant strategic play
Age of Mythology: Retold also made its competitive debut at Red Bull Wololo: El Reinado 2024
Themistoklis “TheMista” Bonidis claimed the title of inaugural champion
Nguyễn “Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng” Đức Bình emerged victorious after a fearsome showdown against Đỗ “Xuân Thứ” Thứ
while the Age of Empires IV grand final saw Alexis “MarineLorD” Eusebio crowned
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We all love getting lost in the pages of a good book
But what many agree on is that the HBO adaptation of George RR Martin’s epic series A Song of Ice and Fire is a huge success
the final season of A Game of Thrones will premiere
tying up all the loose ends that fans have been wondering about for years
GOT doesn’t pull its punches when portraying the complex and often brutal events in the books
the sets and costumes are crafted with intricate detail
and the locations are carefully chosen to be as close as possible to the fictional realm they represent
The town of Zumaia has two small beaches: Santiago and Itzurun
It’s the latter beach that was used as the shores of Dragonstone
where Daenerys sets up her army in anticipation of conquering the rest of Westeros
With the addition of a digital castle at the summit
this little islet on the coast of Biscay makes a very convincing Dragonstone
Its name translates as “the craggy fort,” and it certainly provides an ideal location for the island stronghold from the books
Spanish locations aren’t just used for the windswept outer reaches of Westeros
Highgarden is the verdant seat of the affluent House Tyrell
and Castillo de Almodóvar del Rio was chosen for this location
The castle was originally a Roman fort although the current structure is of Moorish origin and underwent renovation and reconstruction in the Middle Ages and later
and Alcázar is ideal as the Dornish palace
Dorne is the southernmost land in Westeros
so this hot but beautiful location fits the bill nicely
Just to prove that Spain has nearly all of the settings and climates you could want for the Game of Thrones series
the badlands in southeast Navarre are used to represent the land inhabited by the warlike Dothraki
Seeing the sands of the Bardenas stretching in all directions
it’s easy to imagine that Vaes Dothrak might be just over the next horizon (although
Sandy Brae in Northern Ireland was used as the setting for the capital of the Dothraki people)
From the Dothraki Sea to the stronghold of the most influential family in Game of Thrones
Spain can also boast that one of its castles was featured as Casterly Rock
Although Martin has been quoted as stating that the Rock of Gibraltar was his inspiration for the Lannister stronghold
it was actually Trujillo Castle in Cáceres that was seen to be most fitting as the home of Tywin Lannister and his family
Everyday Girona might make up the streets of Braavos
but the city’s fabulous Gothic cathedral has a more important function
it was the exterior of the Great Sept of Baelor in King’s Landing
Stand at the bottom of the steps and try to imagine Jamie Lannister cantering up them on his white horse to rescue Margaery from her walk of atonement
Anyone who wants to feel part of the Stark clan should head to Stangford’s Castle Ward and Castle Towers which have been part of the setting for Winterfell from season one
no one location could live up to all that is demanded from the northern stronghold of Winterfell
so only some of the scenes are filmed at Castle Ward
Others are filmed at Doune Castle in Scotland
having been used as a location in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
these two castles are actually rather pretty and easily accessible in real life
making them the perfect tourist destinations
The same is true of Ballintoy which is the setting for the Iron Islands
The seven islands that make up Theon Greyjoy’s birthplace are barren and unforgiving
Ballintoy is actually a rather charming Irish location with a plaque in the harbour to mark its use as a location on the HBO show
This avenue of trees with a strangely sinister name was turned into the Kingsroad for the series
and we see it when Arya tried to travel along it disguised as a boy
Those audience members who rooted for Jon Snow and Ygritte will remember the touching scene in a thermal spring where they enjoyed a moment of happiness
That scene was filmed in the lava cave at Grjótagjá which has now become immensely popular with visitors
some of whom are perhaps trying to steal their own moment of romance in the warmth of the spring
The production team clearly thought that these three glaciers epitomized the Fist of the First Men
Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Iceland
making it an ideal representation of the snowy wastes beyond the Wall
The film crew didn’t have far to venture for their next location
Vatnajökull glacier lies just north of the village of Vík í Mýrdal
The village’s distinctive beaches made up of black sand were used to film scenes for Eastwatch-by-the-Sea
Spain’s Girona Cathedral might be the Sept of Baelor
The terracotta roofs add just the right ambience to conjure up this imaginary city
The twisty streets of the old part of the town feature heavily in the show and are especially key in season five where Cersei undertakes her walk of shame
Another part of Croatia which depicts a section of Kings Landing is this arboretum which acts as the palace gardens
you can almost imagine you’ll come across Lady Olenna and Margaery whispering in a corner
Read another story from us: The mythology behind Game of Thrones White Walkers
So, if your holiday this year takes you to one of the countries above, why not detour and step into a world of fantasy and dragons (dragons not guaranteed)?
Charlotte Bond is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News
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the Houses of Lannister and Tyrell looked ready to go to war
More photos from the Game of Thrones set at Almodovar. Photo: MANUEL MURIELLE. https://t.co/erU5GVNDvu pic.twitter.com/foAN0Q80ZL
dispirited looking Tyrell soldiers (notice the roses on their breastplates)
Photo: MANUEL MURIELLE. https://t.co/erU5GW5en2 pic.twitter.com/ZhIIUAa7Tt
The above shots were taken at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río
the same place where Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm) was spotted in the last slide
Because we’ve heard that the Unsullied aren’t involved in the scuffle at Highgarden
we suspect that the Castillo stood in for both Highgarden and Casterly Rock
Remember that there was a Lannister flag flying over it
that could serve as either a flag flying over Casterly Rock or one the Lannisters fly over Highgarden after they take it
Around this time, the production also flew a Lannister flag over Trujillo Castle
Trujillo Castle also stood in for Highgarden
Jaime and Bronn during the filming today at Trujillo Castle https://t.co/9xWXFEMzD8 pic.twitter.com/yndSVSw2yu
how do Jaime and his Lannister army manage to defeat the Tyrells
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there’s a sense that we’re in uncharted territory
There will only be seven episodes instead of 10
we’ve sailed over the edge of the known world of the page and in to the murky seas of the still unfinished The Winds of Winter and the yet-to-be-started A Dream of Spring
Game of Thrones does not film entirely on locked soundstages
nor do the producers create the world of Westeros purely with CGI
The most expensive-looking show on television looks that way because it spends the money to go on location and film across a number of countries
The upshot of this is that we know quite a bit about what’s coming in Game of Thrones season 7
Let’s gather round and sort through all the evidence
leaks and rumors to get as clear a picture as we can
pretty much everyone had settled into groups — characters were generally on Team Dany
or Team Cersei…with a couple of notable exceptions
At the moment, Arya Stark is a lone wolf. She may have returned to Westeros ahead of Dany’s ship, but she’s currently working independently of the three major factions. Perhaps because of that, actress Maisie Williams has filmed a lot of material on her lonesome, shooting stuff long after it seemed like everyone else had finished and even crossing the pond to film in Canada
Game of Thrones has filmed in Canada before — it’s where it shoots scenes with the wolf actors that play the direwolves
But it’s very rare for them to fly an actor over there
The direwolves are returning for season 7, too. Instinct Animals for Film, the company that supplies the show with its direwolf actors, posted a picture of Quigley — the wolf who plays Jon’s direwolf Ghost — to its Instagram account and tagged it “Ready to work.” It also posted a picture of a wolf that resembled Nymeria
it was tagged “Ready to work,” and included the hashtag #winteriscoming
Then, after that news broke, Instinct for Animals locked its Instagram account
Arya was chasing her off in the second episode of the show — had she stuck around
Cersei would have killed her for attacking Joffrey
The implication here is that the two will reunite
Nymeria has her own wolfpack by this point — the largest ever seen in living memory — and is roaming the Riverlands
she was looking rather creepy as she calmly killed Walder Frey in repayment for the Red Wedding
right after feeding him two of his sons in a pie
Is she finished serving up hot plates of revenge to the Freys? We don’t know exactly what, if anything, Arya will do at the Twins in season 7. But we do know that actor David Bradley
It’s possible — both Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) and Nell Tiger Free (Myrcella Baratheon) returned to play corpses at the beginnings of seasons 5 and 6
Arya has been trained by the Faceless Men to assume the appearances of the dead
Might she assume Walder’s Frey’s face to further mess with the Freys
@WatchersOTWall @WiCnet spotted this at London city airport returning from Belfast. #GameofThrones #edmuretully pic.twitter.com/s7670MAeyM
Tobais Menzies (Edmure Tully) may have been in Belfast
We last saw Edmure helping Jaime (under duress) take back Riverun from the Blackfish
Assuming Walder Frey locked Edmure back up at the Twins afterward
Menzies’ return further hints that we’re not don with that area quite yet
But perhaps the biggest Arya-related news of the season is that Arya will cast off her lone wolf reputation — at least for a little while — and head back to Winterfell
fans were emotional when Sansa and Jon saw each other again for the first time since she set out with Ned to King’s Landing
Imagine what will happen when and if Jon reunites with Arya
What we know: Last fall, the show filmed some stuff at Linen Mills Studio in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. The shoot featured many actors whose characters were at Winterfell at the end of season 6. Sophie Turner (Sansa) was spotted in a red wig alongside Kit Harington (Jon Snow)…
…breakout star Bella Ramsey (Lyanna Mormont) was on hand…
Miren quién fue vista ayer en el set de la 7ma temporada de #GameofThrones Bella Ramsay (Lyanna Mormont). pic.twitter.com/3R3eKJPNyU
Maisie Williams was there, too, and wearing a costume that recalls not only Jon’s leathers but echoes Robb Stark’s get-up during his time as King In The North
and the fact that Arya is wearing a man’s fighting leathers suggests that she’ll no longer suffer to wear dresses
The Arya who returns to Winterfell is very different from the one who left. Unfortunately, reports suggest that she and Sansa will clash over how to manage affairs in the North
will try to drive a wedge further between them
That’s a combustible situation if we ever saw one
Benjen Stark left Bran and Meera at a weirwood tree near the northern side of the Wall
actor Isaac Hempstead Wright was spotted at Linen Mills Studio around the same time that Harington
Here is getting his makeup done alongside Maisie Williams:
According to reports
Bran does indeed return to Winterfell and reunites with his family
Just how many Stark family reunions can we handle in one season
He won’t get back immediately, though. Los Siete Reinos, the site that uploaded the picture above, reported that, on the day the above picture was taken, Wright wasn’t filming a scene at Winterfell but rather one with actor Ben Crompton (Lord Commander Dolorous Edd) and other members of the Night’s Watch
Bran and Meera will have to pass through the tunnel to reenter the North
Let’s hope Edd donates a horse to Bran and Meera so they can make the last leg of the journey as quickly as possible
Bran has changed a lot since leaving Winterfell
Wright reflected on those changes when speaking to Entertainment Weekly:
One of the things he needs to do: tell everyone just what deep trouble they’re in now that the Night King is coming south in force
Hopefully he doesn’t lead the White Walkers through the Wall in the process — remember that they could enter the Three-Eyed Raven’s cave after the Night King touched Bran during his weirdwood trip
So it sounds like Sansa will be working through some frustration about her position in season 7
because there are threats to the power that she holds.” And with Littlefinger around
you can bet he’ll be trying to pour poison in Sansa’s ear at every turn
Those two are at a weird place in their relationship
But it’s not all secrets and lies for Sansa. Turner told Gold Derby that Sansa’s renewed relationship with Jon Snow is “restoring her faith in men.”
We’ll have wait for season 7 to see how all this plays out
but one thing we’re fairly sure of is that Sansa will live to see season 8
She basically gave that away when doing interviews on the red carpet at the BAFTAS
Back when the photos from the Linen Mills Studio shoot were coming out
which features an actress named Megan Parkinson
Early speculation had it that she might be a stunt double for Sophie Turner
but that didn’t make much sense — when has Sansa ever done anything that needed a stunt double
It ends up that Parkinson is playing an entirely new character: Alys Karstark
the only daughter of Lord Rickard Karstark
showed up in at Castle Black in A Dance with Dragons before the Night’s Watch mutineers murdered Jon Snow
Jon married her to the Magnar of Thenn in an attempt to help her resolve a family quarrel and normalize wildling-Northern relations
her father is dead — Robb took his head in season 3
Jaime killed two of her brothers — Harrion and Thorrhen — in season 2
We don’t know exactly what happened to Harald
but if he didn’t die in the Battle of the Bastards
or at least strip him on his lands and holdings
The upswing of all this is this is that, by the time season 7 starts, Alys is likely the heir to House Karstark. Sansa and Jon will surely be interested in what she plans to do with that title. An early casting call for season 7 mentioned a 16-year-old Northern girl who would be part of “a high-stakes scene with leading cast members.” Alys is very likely that girl
and Jon and Sansa may be the leading cast members
One theory is that Jon and/or Sansa will arrange for Alys to marry Tormund Giantsbane
That would roughly parallel what happens in the books
but would switch out the Magnar of Thenn for another prominent wildling we actually know
Whatever happens, Alys will appear in at least two episodes of season 7, according to Parkinson’s agency resume
We’re eager to see what she brings to the table
The shoot at Linen Mills yielded a lot of useful info: we’ve already shown you pics of the actors behind Lyanna Mormont
meaning Brienne likely returns to Winterfell from the Riverlands
where she was last seen trying to talk the Blackfish into lending Sansa his army
meaning he’ll spend some time at Winterfell
There are a couple of minor characters first introduced in season 6 who will be coming back
recognize the guy in the upper-left hand pic in this collage
in costume as Maester Wolkan — he was the Bolton maester in season 6
the one Ramsay tasked with telling everyone that Roose Bolton was “poisoned by our enemies.” It looks like Jon and Sansa keep Maester Wolkan on at Winterfell
I’m sure he’ll prefer working for them to working for Ramsay
You can also see Aidan Gillen in his Littlefinger outfit and Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane) talking with Cunningham
Finally, here’re a couple of snaps of actor Tim McInnerny (Lord Robett Glover) on set — he’s in the bottom two frames
Lord Glover refused Jon and Sansa when they asked for help fighting the Boltons
but still declared Jon Snow King in the North after Lyanna Mormont shamed him and the rest of the Northern Lords for their cowardice
he’ll stick around to help Team Jon with their next steps
That Winterfell will be overflowing with people in season 7
But not everyone will be there at the same time
Let’s leave the North and check out some SPOILERS from other parts of Westeros
Last we saw Sam, he had arrived at the Citadel in Oldtown eager to begin his training as a maester. We didn’t see many images of him on set, but new cast member Jim Broadbent dropped a couple of hints when talking to Screencrush
Broadbent will play “an archmaester” who shares his scenes with Sam
“I did sort of one major scene in each episode.” That means Sam remains at the Citadel until at least Episode 5
Is Cáceres Antigua? Samwell Tarly confirmed... pic.twitter.com/Ze4XxJigeF
As for which archmaester Broadbent will play, fans speculate that it’s either Marwyn — an aggressive maester Sam meets in A Feast for Crows — or Ebrose, a maester who specializes in healing. Our guess is that it’ll be a composite character named Ebrose. And if Sam is studying under him for five episodes, we can bet he’ll learn something important. Knowledge of glass candles
Whatever he learns, at some point he decides to grab a traveling cloak, pile Gilly and Little Sam into the back of a horse-drawn carriage, and ride hell for leather out of Oldtown…or maybe he’s just taking in the sights around town
Director Matt Shakman was on hand when this shot was taken
it happens in the late middle part of the season
We’re betting that he discovers something important that can help the war effort and beats it back north to relay the info
We can’t go any farther without introducing our second major faction of the season: Team Targaryen. Last we saw them, they were sailing for Westeros with a giant fleet. We’re not sure what, if anything, happens on the way, but very early in the season, they reach Dragonstone, where Daenerys sets up a new home base. You got a look at her new throne in the first season 7 promo trailer
Dragonstone was where Stannis hung out in seasons 2-4
It’s also the ancient seat of House Targaryen and the place where Daenerys was born
The production filmed Dragonstone scenes at a couple places in the Basque region of Spain
Varys and the Dothraki making themselves at home
The Dragon Queen & Targaryen crew conquer Gaztelugatxe! SPOILERS! (UPDATE) https://t.co/8FpiRhBp9m pic.twitter.com/9xZVHzx0MO
As you can see more clearly in HBO promos
the prevailing color scheme for members of Daenerys’ entourage is now black
That’s sure to strike fear in the hearts of Dany’s enemies
We expect Daenerys to set up shop at Dragonstone in the season premiere
and then to send out ravens demanding the lords of Westeros come and swear her fealty
Dragonstone hosts many interesting guests over the course of the season
Next: Tyrion catches up with an old friend
season 7 will be the first time she sets foot on Westerosi soil (well
though — he’ll be busy forging alliances on behalf of his queen
he has an in with the new King in the North
together for the first time since season 1
Jon was a new recruit in the Night’s Watch and Tyrion was pissing off the top of the Wall
As we said on the last slide, we expect Daenerys to send out ravens summoning the lords of Westeros to swear her fealty. The odds of Cersei answering that summons are pretty close to nil, but Jon makes the trip. Of course, he may have ulterior motives for that — Jon’s trying to fight an army of ice zombies and Dragonstone happens to be full of White Walker-killing dragonglass
it will fall to Tyrion to moderate negotiations between Dany and Jon
although it looks like Jon brings his own right-hand man in the form of Davos Seaworth:
More close up pictures of Liam and Kit. Man bun is back #SPOILERS pic.twitter.com/kEYTKAPOy2
The one we’ve been waiting for all these years: Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen
Jon and Dany, very serious. pic.twitter.com/pzFUgcisPs
Looks like they’re all business in that shot
Here’s a video where Jon Snow joins Daenerys as she gazes out over the ocean — it’s got a mellower tone
How will these two get along? Will they hate each other? Will they love each other
Will Drogon and Ghost fight for the title of best magical pet
where Dany introduces Jon Snow to her dragons
Here’s a gallery of Kit Harington (Jon) and Emilia Clarke (Dany) playing with the dragon head props:
Jon is looking up at something — is Daenerys showing off her flying
if Jon goes all the way to Dragonstone to get his hands on some dragonglass
the prospect of recruiting actual dragons in the fight against the White Walkers must have him salivating
Will they sense his Targaryen blood and let him near
This one’s hard to picture, but according to fansite Watchers on the Wall, Missandei and Grey Worm — Daenerys’ two top lieutenants — will consummate their relationship in season 7
I assume it’ll mostly be hugging and tongues
As former slaves accustomed to suppressing their emotions under their former masters (particularly Grey Worm)
these two have had difficulty expressing their feelings
Taking the next step in that storyline is only natural
as is having the two of them figure out how to have a demented and strange sort of happiness
It even looks like they exchange jewelry — notice how the dragon pendant shifts from one to the other in the two season 7 images below
prepare for a lot of “Grey Worm is Sullied now” jokes
While we don’t know the exact circumstances of Jorah Mormont’s return
actor Iain Glen was seen in the flesh on Itzurun Beach
standing next to Peter Dinklage and wearing a new black outfit after six straight years of wearing the same yellow shirt
We don’t even want to think about how filthy it must have been
JORAH CHEGANDO EM DRAGONSTONE????CURADO?MEU PAI TÁ VIVOOOOOO https://t.co/dqy7jUBWdo
Although we don’t have visual proof as to whether Jorah has cured his greyscale by this point (his new duds cover any potential scarring), word is that he’s gotten rid of it
He goes to Oldtown to consult the maesters and runs into a trainee named Samwell Tarly
After Sam learns that Jorah is the son of former Lord Commander Jeor Mormont
Next: The Hands of the King go on an adventure
Tyrion Lannister #JuegodeTronos en #Barrika. @elcorreo_com pic.twitter.com/tCMHvhiutK
One of the major things we were promised in season 7 was that characters who had never met before would interact
two such characters will go on a trip together: Davos Seaworth and Tyrion Lannister
they’ll sail through Blackwater Bay and land in nearby King’s Landing
(We wonder if Davos will bring up the time Tyrion exploded his son with wildfire.) While there
Why were Davos and Tyrion in King’s Landing in the first place
and who’s this mysterious hammer-wielding savior
the guy who saves Davos and Tyrion from the Gold Cloaks is none other than Gendry
because when actor Joe Dempsie showed back up on Itzurun Beach (the Dragonstone set)
his wardrobe had gotten a lordly-looking upgrade
Gendry, looking snappy. pic.twitter.com/fXJQTscX6K
So after reuniting with Davos in King’s Landing
where there is gathered a fascinating assemblage
something interesting happens: as Daenerys and Tyrion look on
Gendry and Davos pile into a boat with a few other guys and shove off
Daenerys easily could have stopped these guys if she wanted
she chats with Jorah and Jon Snow and watches them leave
(Tyrion also exchanges words with Jorah — old traveling buddies catching up.) This group is leaving Dragonstone with Dany’s blessing
So this rag-tag band of adventurers leave Dragonstone together
we’re going to have to get ahead of ourselves a bit
Later in the season, Jon will bring a wight south of the Wall and show it to some of the most powerful leaders in Westeros
He’s going to need allies — lots of them — if he hopes to survive the wars to come
The problem is that people who have never traveled beyond the Wall have a hard time believing Jon’s story about murderous ice zombies
Remember when Sam’s brother Dickon scoffed at the very idea of White Walkers during that awkward family dinner scene in season 6
Jon has a whole country full of people like that to convince
and bring it back as proof that there really is a problem
A skeptic like Cersei wouldn’t settle for anything less
We’re betting that Daenerys is a little more understanding — she lets Jon leave Dragonstone
But even she may need more than the word of a stranger with great hair
pic.twitter.com/6Np86ONLjY
the production films a scene on the Black Sand Beach near the Icelandic town of Vík
We’re not entirely sure where in Westeros this is
although the odds are decent that it’s Eastwatch-by-the-Sea
the easternmost castle manned by the Night’s Watch
it’s around here that Jon runs into a couple more friends
First, there’s Tormund Giantsbane. Above, actor Kristofer Hivju photographed himself standing near a kind of “aluminium hulled amphibious cargo vehicle” known to be used in this part of Iceland
It makes sense that Jon would want Tormund’s help
When you’re heading into the far north to crack some White Walker skulls
a fan takes a picture with Joe Dempsie (Gendry)
whom we saw set out with Jon from Dragonstone
Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion) probably isn’t far away
The members of the Brotherhood Without Banners tend to stick together
Met these guys four days ago Joe Dempsie/Gendry and Thoros of myr/Paul Kaye in iceland 😀😀 pic.twitter.com/yI3AkJCA8h
where the production filmed material beyond the Wall for season 7
You’ll remember that, in season 6, Beric Dondarrion implied that the Brotherhood was headed north. “Cold winds are rising in the North,” he told the Hound in “No One.” “Good and bad
young and old; the things we’re fighting will destroy them all alike.” The Brotherhood’s interests clearly align with Jon’s
and it looks like they join him on his quest to capture a wight
Speaking of the Hound, he’s coming, too. Actor Rory McCann was photographed alongside this group of actors in Belfast, near where the production built a specialized set for an action scene set north of the Wall (more on that in a minute). He was also seen on set at the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland
Jorah, the Hound, and Torment Giantsbane with fans pic.twitter.com/d54cdGvLv9
and Davos Seaworth set out from Dragonstone
to disembark before the group goes north of the Wall
but that’s still quite a posse Jon’s collected
Jon Snow goes north of the Wall to find a wight
the Game of Thrones production build a massive set in Wolf Hill Quarry near Belfast
It looks like an island in the middle of a frozen lake
An island on a lake. https://t.co/MD7gd3dBi7 pic.twitter.com/SsDHhHd7Rb
The #GameofThrones team builds something near Belfast. https://t.co/MD7gd3vcGH pic.twitter.com/IwQMgYrfwi
There were 300 extras on hand to play the wights
and expect that number to increase after the CGI people are finished
Yet another intriguing clue: actor Joseph Mawle (Benjen Stark) was photographed eating dinner with some of the Wolf Hill Quarry actors in Belfast when this action scene was being filmed
last seen dropping Bran and Meera off an unreasonably long distance from the Wall in the season 6 finale
will also likely be a part of the huge wight fight
Finally, director Alan Taylor was signing autographs alongside Kit Harington and Iain Glen around the time of the shoot
Since Taylor is only directing one episode this year
that tells us when during the season this action scene will fall: Episode 6
Next: And now for something (seemingly) completely different
Matt Shakman, a newbie to Game of Thrones, is directing two episodes of season 7. When speaking to Entertainment Weekly
he said some interesting things about Dany’s children:
You can get an idea of how big by looking at the size of Drogon’s new greenscreen stand-in
which was photographed outside Titantic Studios in Belfast in February
@IrishThrones @WatchersOTWall Today's Titanic studio spot is an enormous green block with climbing holds.Dragon? pic.twitter.com/Cq4Ie9jIhs
Now compare that to the dragon rigs from past seasons:
They grow up so fast... (last photo via @Kipperbt20) pic.twitter.com/GoT6jk5snp
It’s clear the dragons have been getting their protein
Anyway, there’s a reason we bring this point up now, right after talking about Jon’s misadventures beyond the Wall. According to rumor
Dany may take her dragons north and arrive in the nick of time to rescue Team Jon when they’re beset by that violent horde of wights
but that massive rig has to be good for something
Next: And now for something completely different
We didn’t see a ton of Euron Greyjoy in Game of Thrones season 6. He murdered his brother Balon, won the Kingsmoot over Yara, and spent the rest of the season offscreen building his thousand ships. It sounds like he’ll make a bigger splash this year. When MTV News asked actor Pilou Asbæk how much hell Euron will raise in season 7
“Enough to get satisfied — good satisfied.”
It’s unclear where Daenerys and the Tyrells are during this sea battle battle
both of them are ostensibly allies with Theon
Because filming a sea battle would have involved a lot of green screen and interior work
we don’t have any photographic proof of it
From El Periodico Extramadura: https://t.co/1pJblKYaPT pic.twitter.com/1UqEuf3nmG
probably to brag about his victory to his new bestie Cersei Lannister
parading his defeated foes through the streets as the smallfolk
#Fotos | La grabación de 'Juego de Tronos' se llena de paraguas en Cáceres https://t.co/wHBB64YMzp Asha Greyjoy pic.twitter.com/N6Gy6y3RZ0
bloodied from battle and being dragged through the streets on a leash:
Poor Yara. Hoy: https://t.co/lavWUQZuGr pic.twitter.com/5KK2qseiHO
That’ll be Indira Varma (Ellaria Sand) and Rosabell Laurenti Sellers (Tyene Sand) joining Yara on this grim march. Note that Keisha Castle-Hughes (Obara Sand) and Jessica Henwick (Nymeria Sand) are nowhere to be seen. Word is that Euron kills one or both of them sometime during the season
we’re betting they both die in that sea battle
Director Mark Mylod was on set for this scene
but there is one saving grace: Euron’s horse’s armor is awesome:
all of this was filmed in the Spanish city of Cáceres
as were most of the King’s Landing scenes for season 7
So Euron takes Yara prisoner after defeating her in battle
Assuming he’s at the battle in the first place
This isn’t a loving reunion between foster brothers
Jon gets a little rough with Theon — you can see a video of their tense reunion below
There could be any number of reasons why Jon lays hands on Theon
this is the jerk who betrayed Robb and basically gave Winterfell to the Boltons back in season 2
so Jon’s not going to kill him…just beat on him a little
this scene falls in the middle of the season
after Jon arrives at Dragonstone but before he heads beyond the Wall
Actor Alfie Allen filmed another scene at Dragonstone
this time with a group of Ironborn soldiers
You’ve got a little blood on your lip there
Director Jeremy Podeswa was was on hand for this scene
We’re betting this scene is from the finale
there’s no reason for the Ironborn to beat on Theon before Euron defeats him and Yara in the sea battle
If Theon ran away from that fight rather than stick by his sister
we can imagine that the Ironborn are none too pleased with their cowardly prince
something Theon is probably used to — remember his own men also turned on him in “Valar Morghulis,” the season 2 finale
When talking to Variety, Alfie Allen said
“Theon has moved on from his “Reek” years in the upcoming season of “Thrones.”” We’re happy for him
but he’s obviously still going to have problems
The Greyjoys siblings in general look like they’re in for a sucky year
we don’t have many shots of outdoor scenes being filmed in King’s Landing
We did see the crew members dressing the city of Cáceres up real nice
Lannister flags in Cáceres. From @javiborrega: https://t.co/OS8OhyMg4q pic.twitter.com/UeynuVMENc
A marketplace set in Cáceres. From @javiborrega: https://t.co/OS8OhyMg4q pic.twitter.com/NtS4zzzAxi
There were also some shots of extras in multi-colored clothes gathered for crowd scenes:
Whoa (📸 @hoyextremadura) pic.twitter.com/7DRrjC6M9N
director Jeremy Podeswa stopped by Cáceres to shoot some material in King’s Landing
and tufts of the white stuff filled the air
Recall that Podeswa is directing the premiere and the finale
We could see snow falling on the biggest city in Westeros in either episode
Most of the filming for King’s Landing happened in the Spanish city of Cáceres
the crew also spent a few days in Dubrovnik
which stood in for King’s Landing almost exclusively for the first several seasons of the show
It was during that visit that we caught a rare glimpse of Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) in costume:
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime) was on hand as well:
we’re sure she has important matters to attend to
but those matters likely involve talking to people on closed
look at the armor some of the Lannister soldiers are now wearing:
Cersei’s really embracing this whole “dark queen” angle
Is this the outfit worn by members of Cersei’s Kingsguard…er, Queensguard? (Recall that Jaime is no longer in the Kingsguard, so he’s free to wear Lannister red.) Known member of the Queensguard Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Gregor “the Mountain” Clegane) was also seen in a dark outfit while having his Mountain makeup applied
It used to be lined with seven-pointed stars
Cersei seems to be making over the Lannister forces in her own image
The Iron Bank has played a low-key role on the show up to this point. There were whispers of it as early as season 3, when Tyrion worried that the Crown owed it too much money. Tywin made it sound ominous, too. “You can’t run from them,” he told Cersei in season 4
If you owe them money and you don’t want to crumble yourself
the Crown owes the Iron Bank “a tremendous amount of money.”
We haven’t seen anyone from the Iron Bank since season 5, when Cersei sent Mace Tyrell to Braavos to try and renegotiate the Crown’s debt. It didn’t work. In season 7, Iron Bank representative Tycho Nestoris will show up in King’s Landing and tell Cersei that the debt is due
We first met Tycho is season 4, when he lent money to Stannis so the doomed king could buy sellswords. So far, when he’s shown up, it’s only been for one episode per season. But when talking to members of the press at the BFI & Radio Times Festival, actor Mark Gatiss revealed that he’ll be in two episodes of season 7
And keep in mind that seasons 7 and 8 are shorter than past seasons
That means that not only is the Iron Bank returning
but that it’s returning with a bigger role
What role will that be? Will the Iron Bank fund Daenerys or Jon as it once funded Stannis
Will it hire an army of its own to battle the delinquent queen
Next: Touring the great castles of Westeros
The Lannisters have talked often enough about Casterly Rock, the Lannister family base of operations. But while we’ve seen the homes of some of the other great Westerosi families — Winterfell for the Starks, the Eyrie for the Arryns, etc. — we have yet to lay eyes on it. According to Watchers on the Wall
although with Daenerys intent on conquering the Seven Kingdoms
it would make sense for her or her soldiers to pay it a visit
could be a big help if Daenerys wants to conquer it
and remember that Daario suggested attacking Casterly Rock from the west in the season 6 finale
Our best guess — and it is a guess — is that Daenerys sends Grey Worm and some of the Unsullied to take it
We say this because actor Jacob Anderson was spotted on set at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río in Spain…
Jacob is back for the filming at the castillo de Almodóvar https://t.co/GwkImFoKoQ pic.twitter.com/j4iuU4SM1u
…around the time it had a Lannister flag flying from it
Lannister flags spotted at the castillo de Almodóvar! https://t.co/EmO0cgIFYU pic.twitter.com/1PWbHfJF2P
Looks like it could have stood in for Casterly Rock to us
We have more specifics on a different famous castle
another one we’ve heard a lot about but have yet to see
Photo: MANUEL MURIELLE. https://t.co/erU5GVNDvu pic.twitter.com/YmEfcID7dS
More photos from the Game of Thrones set at Almodovar. Photo: MANUEL MURIELLE. https://t.co/erU5GVNDvu pic.twitter.com/foAN0Q80ZL
Photo: MANUEL MURIELLE. https://t.co/erU5GW5en2 pic.twitter.com/ZhIIUAa7Tt
Around this time, the production also flew a Lannister flag over Trujillo Castle
Jaime and Bronn during the filming today at Trujillo Castle https://t.co/9xWXFEMzD8 pic.twitter.com/yndSVSw2yu
Popey....not just one of the chaps....he wears them too. #DaVincisDemons #downtonabbey #Sinderby pic.twitter.com/nKQ0qHMBTG
Sam’s younger, jockier brother Dickon Tarly will also be back, but this time he’ll be played by Black Sails’ Tom Hopper rather than Harry Potter alum Freddie Stroma
after Jaime and the Lannisters sack Highgarden
they start to march back to King’s Landing with all their loot
fans took photographs showing Lannister soldiers aligned next to Tarly ones
Take the photo below, for instance. The soldiers on the left are obviously Lannister men — you can tell by the lions on their shields. Although it’s harder to see, zoom in on the guys on the right and you’ll see that their shields bear the sigil of House Tarly: a red huntsman on a field of green
Lannister soldiers and Tarly (?) soldiers at Los Barruecos. Los Siete Reinos: https://t.co/2CEwOtIp9H pic.twitter.com/Uk5qSzlYyg
which shows Lannister and Tarly soldiers performing some kind of joint maneuver…
which appears to show Randyll and Dickon Tarly at the head of a column of Lannister soldiers
Although we don’t know exactly what inspires their change of heart
flipping from the Tyrells to the Lannisters
With their knowledge of the Tyrells and the Reach
the Tarlys could help the Lannisters break into Highgarden
and it involved hundreds of extras and over 100 horses
This sequence was filmed mostly at el Barrueco de Arriba in Los Barruecos
the Lannisters are marching back to King’s Landing
their new friends the Tarlys by their side
they’re ambushed by Daenerys and her Dothraki horde
but Daenerys rides into the ambush on a dragon
which can’t be good for the morale of the Lannister and Tarly soldiers
If only she could have come to the aid of the Tyrells before the Lannisters took Highgarden
Notice that there are more Lannister dead than Dothraki dead
so it looks like Team Daenerys comes out on top
Then there’s the matter of what to do with the prisoners…
Let’s get this out of the way first: although the Lannisters lose the Battle of Los Barruecos
Jaime and Bronn escape back to King’s Landing
a video from behind the scenes of the battle shoot emerged
The exact nature of this video is up to interpretation
Why would Dickon address Daenerys as “Khaleesi?” Perhaps he’s trying to give her the soft sell after she whips him and his men on the battlefield
It could also be a member of her Dothraki horde
who will be present at the Battle of the Los Barruecos
although we’re not sure why they’d object to her immolating an enemy
this is a potentially troubling sign from Daenerys
Remember when she wanted to massacre the slavers during “Battle of the Bastards” and Tyrion talked her out of it
Looks like he won’t be successful this time
So we’ve outlined a lot of what will happen this season. Daenerys and her team will set up shop at Dragonstone, Jaime will best the Tyrells in the Reach, Euron will take care of the Sand Snakes, and Jon Snow will travel up and down Westeros’ eastern coast, picking up allies along the way. But in the finale, many of these factions will come together for a meeting in the Dragonpit in King’s Landing
a ruined building that used to house dragons back when the Targaryens ruled the city
Scenes at the Dragonpit were filmed at the Royal Shipyards in Seville
The scene will involve a lot of cast members, including:
And that may not be a complete list. Other actors in the area around the time of shooting included Liam Cunningham (Davos), Gwendoline Christie (Brienne), Daniel Portman (Pod) and Pilou Asbæk (Euron Greyoy)
everyone who’s character doesn’t spend the whole season in the North was there
which means we’re in for a meeting for the ages
The Lannister siblings in the same room again
The Hound and the Mountain staring each other down
Euron Greyjoy and Jon Snow puffing out their chests
Bronn wondering when he can leave…it should be an electric scene
Check out some concept art of what to expect:
remember when Jon Snow went north of the Wall to capture a wight
This is when he shows it off in an attempt to prove to Daenerys
and the rest that the real war is in the North
we may not know the full answer until season 8
Or will she do something completely different
of Gwendoline Christie talking to a crew member
@IrishThrones @WatchersOTWall @GameOfThrones SPOILER, look carefully, It might make sense to someone???? pic.twitter.com/qkkpuucJYk
We zoomed in on the call sheet in the crew member’s hand and discovered some interesting stuff
we’d say that “The Big Tree” is the title of whatever episode they were filming at the moment
It’s probably for the best that we don’t know everything
But for those who can’t bear to be left in the dark
If you’ve been lucky enough not to hear about this by now
Here’s what happened: not long after filming on season 7 began
a Redditor claiming to have inside knowledge of the show posted a season 7 story breakdown
fans weren’t sure what to make of these leaks
images and video from behind the scenes seemed to support them — for example
they predicted that Dany would make Dragonstone her new home base
that Bran and Arya would return to Winterfell
and that Jon would bring a wight to the Dragonpit as proof that the White Walkers were a threat
it’s hard not to conclude that the person who uploaded them (the Reddit account in question was later deleted) had some kind of inside information
There is one part of the leaks we’d like to mention, just because it’s so juicy. Remember when we speculated that Daenerys might swoop in with her dragons and rescue Jon and company from wights after he goes north of the Wall? That’s partly based on the Reddit leak. The leak also has it that one of the dragons — Viserion — will die during that rescue attempt, and that the Night King will bring him back as a wight.
Are there any spoilers we missed? Anything you want to yell about? Sound off below!
Sometimes, fans can’t help but associate actors with the characters they play on TV or in the movies. Jacob Anderson plays Grey Worm, a eunuch warrior, on Game of Thrones. That can get a little awkward, as Anderson explained to the Daily Star:
when this kind of attention from fans can be “weird and alarming.” We don’t doubt it
so it is a bit freaky when you’re stuck on a tube and someone is just staring at you or trying to take a picture of you.”
that’s part of the weird price you pay for working on the biggest show on television
an experience that sounds like it has more ups than downs
“It’s like going on a massive holiday camp for six weeks,” Anderson said of filming the show
“I get to mess about with my friends and film the best show on TV at the same time.”
In more serious news, Anderson also notes that he’s finished filming scenes for Game of Thrones Season 7. We didn’t see too much of Anderson during the Season 7 filming period, although he did pop up at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río a couple months back
HBO will continue to film Season 7 through the end of February. The Sun writes that Anderson being finished this early suggests that Grey Worm may die in the upcoming year
Anderson still could have gotten in several months worth of shooting
which would probably be enough for a supporting character like Grey Worm
In more serious news, Anderson also notes that he’s finished filming scenes for Game of Thrones Season 7. We didn’t see too much of Anderson during the Season 7 filming period, although he did pop up at the Castillo de Almodóvar del Río a couple months back
HBO will continue to film Season 7 through the end of February. The Sun writes that Anderson being finished this early suggests that Grey Worm may die in the upcoming year