Somewhat surprisingly, this year’s San Diego Comic-Con features the final panel for HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” This is surprising because the series already aired its finale back in May and it’s unclear what actually will be shown or done at the panel, other than the expected “victory lap” where the network and actors get one last ovation from the adoring crowd. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the upcoming panel is with who isn’t attending, namely, the shows co-creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff.
Recently, HBO announced the names of the folks that will be in attendance for the panel. It was assumed that the co-creators would be among the guests, considering they’ve been a fixture at other conventions and have never really shied away from speaking publicly about their baby. However, this year, the only folks that will be at the panel are Jacob Anderson, John Bradley, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Liam Cunningham, Conleth Hill, Maisie Williams, and Isaac Hempstead Wright.
No offense to those above-mentioned actors, but we say “only” because the panel feels a bit…light on talent. In year’s past, everyone would show up talking about ‘Thrones,’ from the main cast to the creators themselves. This year, for the victory lap, it’s just a small handful of actors and none of the creative minds that delivered the final season.
But therein lies the truly intriguing aspect of this news. The late-cancellation from the co-creators is being reported around the blogosphere due to some sort of scheduling conflicts, but no real statements have been made. Benioff and Weiss have also been in the crosshairs of many unhappy fans that feel the duo were the sole people responsible for what is seen by many as an underwhelming, lackluster end to the acclaimed series. So, obviously, fans are taking the news that the duo won’t be at Comic-Con as some sort of admission that they don’t want to be confronted by a displeased fanbase.
Either way, the Hall H panel will surely be a celebratory affair. Albeit, a little less crowded than fans might be used to.
https://twitter.com/GameOfThrones/status/1151605021345083392
