Game of Thrones season 7: HBO opts against press screeners — again
The move (first reported by Entertainment Weekly) is, by and large, a response to two different factors.
1. Leaks – Two years ago, the first four episodes of the show were leaked online following a screener release. Given the tech-savvy nature of today’s super-fans, it is theoretically possible that someone could hack a journalist’s account and eventually post the episodes online. They lost money with the season 5 leaks, so why allow that to happen again?
2. Secrecy – It remains unclear if HBO would have instituted this same rule had the screeners not been linked two years ago, but it makes some sense given that this show is ahead of the George R.R. Martin books at this point. There’s so much money invested in these, and there are only seven of them. Why let anyone ruin them even by accident in advance?
It’s possible that there are some critics who will have seen the premiere if Game of Thrones has a premiere party event somewhere in America, but that is more of a controlled environment.
For many other networks and shows, it makes sense to give out several episodes of a give show in advance to build up buzz. If you have confidence in your show, you want people to know it’s great! However, with a show like this HBO already knows that there are millions of viewers who will watch it, and they don’t need advance buzz in the form of screeners.
Rest assured that come Sunday, July 16, there will be fans and critics all over the country watching at the same time in order to see how the rest of this epic story unfolds. Beyond season 7, there is a six-episode final season on tap. It’s hard to imagine HBO reverting course and giving people screeners for it after setting this policy up in the first place.
What do you think about this decision from HBO, and do you think it’s the right one? Share now in the attached comments! (Photo: HBO.)
Also, head over here for more of the latest news regarding Game of Thrones season 7.