Kit Harington recently told The New York Times that he was deeply offended that his 2019 petition to remake Game of Thrones Season 8 with a “competent writer” went viral. The petition started with a goal of 15,000 signatures and ultimately garnered more than 1.8 million signatures.
“I was really pissed off,” Harrington said, pointing to the efforts of series writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. “How dare you say that? Sorry, that’s just how I felt. I think it was a level of stupidity that could only happen through social media.”
Harington, who starred as Jon Snow on the HBO drama, told the Times that he was in rehab when the final season of Game of Thrones premiered. When I got off the set, I was shocked by the overwhelming negative feedback, considering the work I and the rest of the production team had put in. Harrington recalled that it took 55 consecutive days to complete one battle scene.
HBO CEO Casey Bloys, who was in charge of the show at the time, said in 2019 that he and the “GOT” team were aware of the petition but “never seriously considered” heeding requests for reshoots.
“There’s very little downside to a show that’s so popular, but what I think is that when you try to end a show, a lot of people have big opinions about how it should end,” he said. “While the petition shows a great deal of enthusiasm and passion for the show, it was not something we seriously considered.”
Season 8 of Game of Thrones was criticized for everything from its treatment of the female lead to the lighting and cinematography. The biggest reaction this season came when fans found a Starbucks cup left behind in one scene.
