We can’t tell you what’s going to be included in the upcoming eighth and final season of “Game of Thrones” — because we honestly have no idea — but we can tell you what won’t be: an appearance by “A Song of Ice and Fire” author George R.R. Martin.
However, that’s not for lack of trying on “Game of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ part, who apparently attempted to get him into a scene in one of the show’s remaining six episodes.
“David and Dan invited me to a cameo in one of the final episodes, which I was tempted to do,” Martin told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Wednesday. “But I didn’t think just for the sake of a cameo I could take the time to return to Belfast.”
Ah, so it was a timing thing then. OK, fair, especially because Martin has previously shot a cameo for the HBO fantasy epic — it was just left on the cutting room floor, along with the rest of the original pilot.
“There was a cameo in the original pilot that was cut,” Martin added. “I was a guest at Dany’s wedding. But that was when she was played by Tamzin Merchant so all that footage got thrown out when we recast with Emilia Clarke.”
“Game of Thrones” eighth and final season premieres April 14 at 9/8c on HBO.