Although the Game of Thrones finale destroyed my happiness only two years ago, HBO has just announced its 10-year commemoration called "The Iron Anniversary." The series pilot originally premiered on April 17 in 2011, so for the rest of the month, HBO is celebrating the worldwide phenomenon with a barrel-load of new content, including new behind-the-scenes footage, clips and trailers, cast interviews and more.
Featured on HBO Max, there will be a custom spotlight page with personalized curations, a binge-watching marathon, special-edition products and more. On April 10, there will be a “MaraThrone,” in which all episodes of Season 1 begin airing at 10 a.m. ET. HBO is challenging viewers to binge all 73 episodes of the series to help raise money for select global charities, encouraged by Game of Thrones cast members. The ten charities include Women for Women International, World Central Kitchen, Conservation International, International Rescue Committee (IRC), UNICEF, FilmAid International, SameYou, Royal Mencap Society, National Urban League and The Trevor Project.
Additionally, some superfans and influencers may receive a special MaraThrone kit that amplifies their binge-watching experience, including marathon “routes” that will offer specific directions in order to view the series in a different light. These episode collections include following the Mother of Dragons through her most badass moments, journeying with Arya as she becomes the best assassin in Westeros, watching the Army of the Dead gain more power and distance, as well as the biggest and most dramatic moments that will probably confirm that the Red Wedding is the best OMG scene in the series.
Towards the end of the month, three lucky couples who had Game of Thrones-inspired wedding ceremonies will receive special anniversary gifts, including GOT-branded barrels of wine, custom chalices and elaborate cakes representing the Targaryen, Stark and Lannister houses. Other fans can also partake in new themed merchandise, such as a Fabergé dragon egg, a range of beers, limited-edition Funko products and the entire Game of Thrones series on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD.
With this celebration, HBO certainly hopes to keep Game of Thrones at the forefront of popular culture in order to hype up their newly announced spinoff series, including House of the Dragon which will begin production this year (HBO chief Casey Bloys said that it would start filming in April overseas). The highly anticipated series is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones and includes an eclectic cast composed of Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans and Sonoya Mizuno.
With quarantine measures still going strong in certain parts of the world, a Game of Thrones rewatch seems like the perfect way to power through a rainy April until summer. Watching the first six seasons might also remind us that there is a reason why GOT is still one of the best shows ever made, even if the series lost its way in the last couple of seasons (here’s hoping a binge session lessens the terrible feeling I get every time I even think about the finale).
Watch the trailer below and check out "The Iron Anniversary" on HBO Max here.