How Game of Thrones Leveraged Marvel's Success to Revolutionize Spoiler Protections

Game of Thrones modified its spoiler protection measures to emulate Marvel, as stated by Emilia Clarke. The British actress played the role of Daenerys Targaryen, the banished Princess with aspirations of ruling the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and reclaiming her father's Iron Throne, throughout all eight seasons of HBO's immensely popular fantasy drama. Recently, Clarke became a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Secret Invasion, which premiered on Disney+ on June 21, portraying the character G'iah, the daughter of Skrull leader Talos.

During the Secret Invasion cast's appearance on EW's Around the Table series, Clarke shared her experience of dealing with Marvel's rigorous security measures aimed at preventing leaks. The actress, who had already encountered similar measures during the later seasons of Game of Thrones, revealed that the show had adopted extensive spoiler protection methods inspired by Marvel. One significant adjustment involved sharing scripts digitally, which proved to be challenging for Clarke and her co-star Peter Dinklage, who portrays Tyrion Lannister, as they both preferred reading their lines on paper.

When Game of Thrones entered its later seasons, significant security measures were implemented. In a conversation with showrunners David and Dan, they expressed their desire to learn from Marvel and emulate their practices. As a result, everything was strictly digital, with no physical scripts being printed. However, some actors, like myself and Peter Dinklage, still preferred having their lines on paper for better memorization.

Game of Thrones is not only copying its spoiler protection protocols, but also trying to emulate the success of the MCU. In various interviews, George R.R. Martin, the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, has expressed his desire for Game of Thrones to expand into a franchise similar to the MCU. Martin envisions not only focusing on the battles for the Iron Throne in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, but also creating spinoffs that explore unique and unconventional stories within the vast history of his fantasy world.

A new addition to the Game of Thrones franchise has been confirmed by HBO. Titled "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight," this series will focus on the journeys of Dunk and Egg, offering a diverse range of storytelling that aligns with George R.R. Martin's vision for the universe. Unlike the central conflict over the Iron Throne, this show will delve into the rich history and lore of Westeros. While drawing inspiration from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the expansion of the Game of Thrones franchise is poised to create a distinct and unique product.

Source: EW