‘Game of Thrones’ to film part of fifth season in Seville

It was US ambassador in Spain James Costos who first hinted at the news: hit show Game of Thrones was thinking about filming part of its fifth season in Andalusia. Now after weeks of rumors and speculation, the official confirmation has finally arrived. US cable network HBO has chosen Seville province as the location for several scenes of the next part of the show, which will be broadcast in spring 2015.

In a statement released by HBO and Canal+, which broadcasts the show in Spain, the US company has announced that several sites will be used for filming, including the Alcázar of Seville, one of the oldest palaces in the world still in use.

The shoot, which will take place sometime later this year, will be carried out in conjunction with the Andalusia Film Commission, the Seville Film Office, and Seville Mayor Juan Ignacio Zoido, among other local entities.

Spain could be used to portray the kingdom of Dorne, an area that is yet to be seen on screen in the show

“It is going to be a magnificent opportunity for Seville,” says Mayor Zoido. “The image of the city is going to be taken and projected to the whole world.”

The quarries, bullring, church and university buildings of the Seville town of Osuna are other locations that could also be chosen by the show’s producers. “We are going to go from being non-existent to a point of reference,” says Osuna Mayor Rosario Andújar. “They have evaluated the places Osuna has to offer and we have been able to meet their technical demands, such as warehouses and storerooms for make-up, costumes, carrying out auditions …”

Andalusia Film Commission President Carlos Rosado explains that the first contact with HBO was made at the beginning of the year. “Two top executives from the production company came incognito on the first visit,” he says. “On the third visit around 30 people came to study the technical conditions, infrastructure and transport links … They didn’t just evaluate the locations but also saw that we offer professionalism and resources.”

They didn’t just evaluate the locations but also saw that we offer professionalism and resources”

Ever since the rumor emerged that Andalusia could be chosen by HBO, fans of Game of Thrones came up with the theory that Spain could be used to portray the kingdom of Dorne, an area that has yet to be seen on screen in the series.

Spain will now join the growing list of countries in which Game of Thrones has been shot, which includes Northern Ireland, Croatia, Iceland, Morocco, Malta and the United States.

Based on author George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series of books, Game of Thrones saw its fourth season come to a conclusion in mid-June. The series has already become the most-seen in the history of HBO, beating out The Sopranos as the most popular fiction show on the US cable channel.