'Game of Thrones' Preps Cast for 7th Season

New contracts make the cast among the highest-paid actors on cable

Photo: Courtesy HBO (6)

Yes, George R. R. Martin, we know that every man must die. But that doesn’t make the deaths on Game of Thrones any less painful to watch. Fortunately, HBO just made sure that many of the fan favorites could stay around for a lot longer.

The principal stars of the hit HBO drama – who include Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) and Kit Harington (Jon Snow) – signed new contracts to keep them around for a potential seventh and final season (and give them massive raises), according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The pay increases – which have also been extended to Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) – will apparently make the actors among the highest-paid on cable TV.

HBO already renewed the show, based on Martin’s books, through season 6. The cable channel hasn’t even booked a seventh season, but it seems likely given the show’s massive popularity. Its season 4 finale in June attracted 7.1 million total viewers, while the entire season bested The Sopranos as HBO’s most-watched series.

That said, there are no iron-clad guarantees that any of these characters will live to see the GOT finale. As its legions of fans (sadly) know, the HBO drama is notorious for killing off faves well before their time. (We’ll never forget you, Catelyn Stark!).

At the very least, it means we’ll get the bulk of them back for seasons 5 and 6, Entertainment Weekly suggests. We’re on board for that!

Want more stories like this?

Sign up for our newsletter and other special offers:

sign me up

Thank you for signing up!

Theon Greyjoy vs. Samwell Tarly? Who Will Win the Costar Challenge