Writing this article sort of bums me out because I’m reminded that there are another nine months or so before Game of Thrones Season 5 premieres.  That being said, the gears on this show run year-round and the directing staff seems to have been firmed up.  And it appears that, in addition to a certain character many people were expecting to see at the end of Season 4, a few of the directors of your favorite episodes won’t be coming back for Season 5.

For instance, Neil Marshall (who handles a lot of the big battle episodes) is skipping this season.  So is Alex Graves. Even showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are staying behind their laptops (and away from the cameras) next year.  Hit the jump for more on the Game of Thrones Season 5 directors list.

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Image via HBO

As Entertainment Weekly points out, David Nutter is the only returning veteran of the show.  It’s always interesting to me how something like this gets pulled off, since Game of Thrones has such a consistent look and tone, with such a major creative component in constant rotation.  But then again, TV is considered more of a writers’ medium.  It’s also worth noting that Alex Graves told Steve he will be back for Season 6.

It's important to realize that Game of Thrones is a grueling experience and a lot of these people might simply want the time off to recharge their batteries.  In another interview, Graves describes how directing two Season 3 episodes took six months while his work on Season 4 took seven months.

It looks like David Nutter is being entrusted to wrap it all up, which is a fine idea. He directed The Rains of Castamere, the Season 3 "Red Wedding" episode that I consider one of the series' highlights.  Here are the directors of Game of Thrones Season 5:

  • Episodes 501 and 502: Michael Slovis (episodes of Breaking Bad)
  • Episodes 503 and 504: Mark Mylod (episodes of Shameless and Entourage)
  • Episodes 505 and 506: Jeremy Podeswa (episodes of Boardwalk Empire and The Tudors)
  • Episodes 507 and 508: Miguel Sapochnik (episodes of House and Fringe)
  • Episodes 509 and 510: David Nutter (The Rains of Castamere)

Are you concerned about the shake-up here or do you think it will be smooth sailing?

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