HBO
The last season of Game of Thrones was filled will more leaks than the hull of the Titanic thanks to a group of hackers who treated the internet to scripts of upcoming episodes in addition to some of the phone numbers of the biggest stars of HBO’s biggest show. In industry terms, this is generally referred to as “not a good look.”
As a result, the Game of Thrones production team is doing everything they can to keep a tight lid on the show’s eighth season, which is slated to premiere at some point in 2019. There have been multiple leaks from the set pointing that have provided thirsty fans with the speculation they crave, but based on some of the stories concerning the steps taken to ensure secrecy, they’re taking some fairly drastic measures when it comes to keeping the cast in line.
Last year, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau— who plays Jaime Lannister— said the Game of Thrones crew had eschewed scripts in favor of earpieces feeding actors their lines, which seemed a bit drastic when you consider how acting traditionally works. However, it appears the showrunners had a change of heart and decided to let the cast actually look at the words they’re supposed to deliver— with one slight twist.
According to Esquire, Coster-Waldau talked about this season’s filming process while at Cannes and revealed the new weapon Game of Thrones producers have introduced into their arsenal: self-destructing scripts:
“They’re very, very strict. It’s reached a crazy level this year. We actually get the scripts and we shoot the scene – we only have it digitally, and when you’ve done the scene it just vanishes. It’s like Mission: Impossible – ‘This will self-destruct.'”
Based on the actor who admitted he’s afraid of getting drunk and spilling spoilers, I’m sure they’re disappointed they couldn’t figure out a way to pull a Men in Black and wipe the minds of the cast after filming is done.