A number of locations and sets used to film the series in the Province are to be opened to the public next year.
The award-winning TV series recently completed filming for its final season, indeed Season 8 will bring to an end the epic tale of the families struggling for supremacy in the fictional world of Westeros.
Stars including Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Natalie Dormer have been filming at locations and studios across Northern Ireland for the last decade or so.
HBO has now announced it plans to celebrate the show’s legacy by converting several filming locations into tourist attractions. It is also to open up production archives to share with fans.
The sites which the public will be able to access will include film sets as well as displays of costumes, props, weapons, set decorations, art files, models and other production materials. There are also plans for a studio tour of Linen Mill Studios, close to Banbridge.
Jeff Peters, Vice President of Licensing and Retail for HBO, said the company is looking forward to opening up the sites.
“HBO is thrilled to celebrate the work of the Game Of Thrones creative team and crew by preserving these locations and inviting fans to visit Northern Ireland and explore Westeros in person,” he said.
“We look forward to opening the gates and sharing the excitement of stepping inside these amazing sets with Game Of Thrones fans from around the world.”
John McGrillen, Chief Executive of Tourism NI, said: “We couldn’t be more excited about the Game Of Thrones legacy project coming to Northern Ireland.
“While fans have seen the stunning landscapes, coastlines and mountains in the series, we are thrilled they will now have the opportunity to fully experience the charm of Northern Ireland and immerse themselves into the world of Westeros.
“The Game Of Thrones legacy project will be a game changer for Northern Ireland on a global tourism level.
“We very much welcome this exciting announcement by HBO and look forward to attracting many more visitors to our beautiful country as a result.”
HBO said it will reveal more details about the Game Of Thrones Legacy project after the exploratory process is completed, but the plan is to be open to the public in 2019.
