This should probably go without saying, but SPOILERS SPOILER SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
In its five-year history, “Game Of Thrones” has had some killer cliffhangers, but they might have unveiled their biggest yet in the conclusion to season 5. Kit Harington’s Jon Snow, one of the show’s key characters and one of Westeros’ great hopes, was attacked by his own men after making an alliance with the Wildlings, and was left bleeding out in the snow.
It was yet another gut-punch, and for the first time, one that smug book readers didn’t have the skinny on: George R. R. Martin’s most recent book in the series had the same conclusion for the character, meaning that only the author and the show’s creators currently know whether or not Snow is dead, alive, somewhere in between, or headed for resurrection. As a result, fans have been speculating like crazy, breathlessly reporting every time Harington comes within 500 miles of the show’s set, and over the length of his trademark, contractually-mandated hair.
There’s not been any definitive word yet, and creators have assured fans that the character is dead, but in an interview with Belgian magazine Humo (via The Watchers On The Wall, via io9), Harington might have let a little something slip. “The important thing is that I now know exactly how long I am still under contract,” he said, with the interviewer then asking “How many more seasons would that be?” Harington attempts to deflect, laughing it off with “Nice try,” before going on to say “I can’t talk about that. Let’s just say that ‘Game Of Thrones’ will remain a part of my life for a while. I’ll probably be in my thirties when it’s over. One thing’s for sure: the day I’m no longer on ‘Thrones’ is the day I’ll bury myself in movie projects.”
There’s still a slight note of ambiguity here — could Harington just be talking about the wider effect of the show on his career? This is certainly the clearest indication so far that Harington’s still very much under contract, and that Martin, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and co still have plans for the Bastard. In the meantime, Harington’s currently shooting Western “Brimstone” with Guy Pearce and Dakota Fanning, and will be working with Xavier Dolan on the latter’s English-language debut. We’ll find out for sure if he’s back on “Game Of Thrones” when the show returns next spring.
