The fictional characters of Westeros may be concerned that “winter is coming," but in the real world, HBO is trying its hardest to prevent an onslaught of "Game of Thrones" spoilers.
In a print copy of Entertainment Weekly's "Game of Thrones" cover story, HBO programming president Michael Lombardo and showrunner David Benioff explained some of the extreme security measures put in place for season six.
"Fewer people received scripts this season. Press won’t get advanced screeners. HBO’s affiliates worldwide can expect to get content much closer to airtime," EW's James Hibberd wrote. "Even internally on the show, the 'circle of trust' was tightened — code words were routinely used to describe certain scenes or characters, even by the showrunners themselves."
One character who likely needed a secret code word was Jon Snow. If our guesses are correct, the character will be resurrected at some point during season six, but that hasn't stopped Lombardo and Benioff from vehemently denying his return.
For three years running, "Game of Thrones" has been the most pirated show on television. Add to this last year's major leaks of the first four episodes, and the newly implemented security measures make sense. Especially with some major twists (like Jon Snow's probable return) in the mix.
"It’s like protecting your house," Benioff told EW. "You make it as hard as possible for burglars in the hopes they look for some other house to burgle, but it’s impossible to ever completely secure your house."
With just weeks to go, HBO's leak-prevention measures will be put to the test as we get closer and closer to the season premiere on April 24.
