Game of Thronesseason 7's top five actors are reportedly being paid up to £2 million per episode, which would make them the highest-paid actors in television history, eclipsing the stars of Friends and The Big Bang Theory.
The new contracts involve complex bonus clauses based on shared percentages of syndication payments accrued from over 170 countries, according to the Express.
Everything about the new season is big budget, with HBO spending $10 million on each episode, according to Forbes - up from $6 million an episode in season 6.
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Game of Thrones season 7 photos
Show all 15
Game of Thrones season 7 photos
1/15
First up is The Hound, who has a rough round the edges look that suggests he has taken up the Brotherhood without banners on their offer to join them.
Excitingly, it looks as though he's headed into snowier territory with them to fight "the cold winds rising in the North".
2/15
Daeanerys and entourage arrive in Westeros. Is she looking up at Dragonstone, Targaryen stronghold and her new home?
3/15
Jon looks to be in a crypt and slightly sad (even for him). Is he learning about his true parentage at Winterfell?
4/15
Despite it involving the annually boring Sam and Gilly, this image is the most telling of them all.
Reddit has, of course, already decoded what she is reading - a passage from The World of Ice and Fire.
Specifically, it says: "and the followers of The Lord of Light claim that this hero was named Azor Ahai, and prophesy his return." This regards a very popular fan theory that Jon Snow is Azor Ahai, the chosen one.
5/15
Lyanna Mormont speaks at Winterfell. Being incredibly level-headed for her age, is she supporting Jon's assessment that the real battle is with the White Walkers?
Littlefinger conspires in the background.
6/15
Meera looks tired from dragging Bran's ass through the snow. But, looking up, have they finally reached The Wall?
7/15
Arya is back but why is she in a tavern? Your guess is as good as mine here.
8/15
Littlefinger talks to Sansa in Winterfell, no doubt trying to turn her against one of her siblings.
9/15
Tormund and Brienne. Get a room already!
10/15
Ser Davos remains at Jon's side, which is nice. He's gotten himself a nice winter fur too!
11/15
Cersei and (a dispirited?) Jaime listen in the Throne room. Possibly to a Stark or Targaryen emissary explaining the White Walker threat?
12/15
Daenerys in her new Targ outfit in the Dragonstone throne room.
13/15
New threads for Varys
14/15
Little to read on Tyrion.
15/15
Same goes for Missandei, who faithfully remains at Daenerys' side in Westeros.
1/15
First up is The Hound, who has a rough round the edges look that suggests he has taken up the Brotherhood without banners on their offer to join them.
Excitingly, it looks as though he's headed into snowier territory with them to fight "the cold winds rising in the North".
2/15
Daeanerys and entourage arrive in Westeros. Is she looking up at Dragonstone, Targaryen stronghold and her new home?
3/15
Jon looks to be in a crypt and slightly sad (even for him). Is he learning about his true parentage at Winterfell?
4/15
Despite it involving the annually boring Sam and Gilly, this image is the most telling of them all.
Reddit has, of course, already decoded what she is reading - a passage from The World of Ice and Fire.
Specifically, it says: "and the followers of The Lord of Light claim that this hero was named Azor Ahai, and prophesy his return." This regards a very popular fan theory that Jon Snow is Azor Ahai, the chosen one.
5/15
Lyanna Mormont speaks at Winterfell. Being incredibly level-headed for her age, is she supporting Jon's assessment that the real battle is with the White Walkers?
Littlefinger conspires in the background.
6/15
Meera looks tired from dragging Bran's ass through the snow. But, looking up, have they finally reached The Wall?
7/15
Arya is back but why is she in a tavern? Your guess is as good as mine here.
8/15
Littlefinger talks to Sansa in Winterfell, no doubt trying to turn her against one of her siblings.
9/15
Tormund and Brienne. Get a room already!
10/15
Ser Davos remains at Jon's side, which is nice. He's gotten himself a nice winter fur too!
11/15
Cersei and (a dispirited?) Jaime listen in the Throne room. Possibly to a Stark or Targaryen emissary explaining the White Walker threat?
12/15
Daenerys in her new Targ outfit in the Dragonstone throne room.
13/15
New threads for Varys
14/15
Little to read on Tyrion.
15/15
Same goes for Missandei, who faithfully remains at Daenerys' side in Westeros.
Excitingly, this increase will, in part, help the creators' stage battle scenes on a scale we've never seen before.
"We’ve always wanted to get to a place - story-wise and budget-wise and time-wise and resource-wise - where we would be able to do a proper battle, with one army on one side, one army on another side," co-showrunner D.B. Weiss told Entertainment Weekly recently.
Game of Thrones season 7 arrives on HBO and Sky Atlantic on 25 June, 2017.
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Independent Minds Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Minds. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent minds. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment.
The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Minds. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates.