Maisie Williams Signs On For Red Nose Day

Maisie Williams, in a limited edition t-shirt designed by British photographer Rankin.

Springtime is just around the corner, which means it’s time for Red Nose Day, set for March 24th in the UK. The annual Comic Relief fundraiser turns out great entertainment every year while raising cash for important causes.  Everyday people take part as well with workplace bake sales, fundraising in schools, running fun challenges, and essentially doing whatever they enjoy to raise money that can change lives. Ultimately, it culminates in a huge night of live comedy and entertainment, shown on the BBC on the 24th.

Two years ago, a chunk of the Game of Thrones cast memorably took part in the US edition of Red Nose Day by joining up with Coldplay to create the epic Game of Thrones: The Musical. This year, Maisie Williams doing her part for the cause.

Legendary fashion photographer Rankin has now turned fashion designer for the 2017 Red Nose Day campaign, with a range of T-shirts launching in TK Maxx stores on Monday, February 13th, and online at tkmaxx.com now.

Maisie Williams is wearing a TK Maxx T-Shirt, part of a limited edition collection designed by celebrated British photographer Rankin to support Red Nose Day 2017.

Nine different Rankin animal designs will be available, for both adults and children. The prices start at £6.99 for a kids tee, and £9.99 for an adult tee. Red Nose Day confirms that at least £5 from the sale of the adult T-shirt will go to Comic Relief to help people in the UK and Africa, for a diverse range of causes; everything from providing malaria nets, to helping women living in fear of domestic abuse, to help provide children’s education, to aiding with care for the elderly in the UK.

Maisie shows off another look from the limited edition range designed by British photographer Rankin.

Williams isn’t the only familiar face from GoT taking part this year. Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton) helped kick off Red Nose Day 2017 by visiting the Comic Relief-funded project Nu Life Furniture, located in his native country of Wales. Additionally, Thomas Brodie Sangster (Jojen Reed) is sliding back into his Love Actually role for a reunion and a mini-movie for the occasion.

For those in the USA who are interested in taking part, Red Nose Day comes to America on May 25th this year!

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Season 7 speculation: Will Tormund Giantsbane be part of a strategic marriage?

(Caution: SPOILERS below)

In A Dance with Dragons, there’s a subplot that thus far hasn’t been adapted for the show: While he’s Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Jon Snow meets Alys Karstark, the daughter of Lord Rickard Karstark. (You may remember that Robb executed Lord Rickard for killing Lannister prisoners in A Storm of Swords/season 3). With Alys’ father dead and her brother Harrion help captive by the Lannisters, Alys has an excellent claim to Karhold, House Karstark’s ancestral seat. She arrives at Castle Black fleeing her cousin Cregan, who wants to marry her so he can lay claim to the castle. She begs Jon for help.

At the time, Jon is having trouble managing tensions between the Night’s Watchmen and the wildling refugees staying at Castle Black. So he, Alys, and Melisandre come up with a solution to multiple problems: Jon marries Alys to the Magnar of Thenn, a wildling chieftain, creating a new House of Thenn. That way, the wildlings are legitimized somewhat in the eyes of xenophobic Northerners and Cregan can’t try to marry Alys, since she already has a husband.

A couple of weeks ago, it was confirmed that Alys Karstark will be appearing on Game of Thrones for the first time in season 7, played by actress Megan Parkinson. That raises the question: will her role on the show be the same as in the books? Will she marry a prominent wildling and formally bind the Northerners to their cousins from beyond the Wall?

A Northern Girl in #GameofThrones Season 7. Via PAP4U: https://t.co/CohXhNSObt pic.twitter.com/E2LlBQgQNY

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) October 25, 2016

One issue is that the Magnar of Thenn — or at least the version of the Magnar of Thenn from A Dance with Dragons — doesn’t exist on the show. So what prominent wildling could Alys marry? Knowing the show’s habit of using established characters to fill the roles of minor ones from the books (e.g. Bronn becoming commander of the City Watch rather than Ser Jacelyn Bywater, or Jorah contracting greyscale rather than Ser Jon Connington), we have someone in mind: Tormund Giantsbane.

A threshold question: is Tormund single? He’s talked about his daughters on the show, remarking in “Hardhome” that Jon is prettier than all of them, but has yet to mention a wife. We aren’t even sure wildling law forbids a second marriage, anyway. In any case, without information to the contrary, we can assume that Tormund is an eligible bachelor. If he is married, his wife would surely have something to say about those looks he cast at Brienne during season 6.

Based on the information available, Alys’ position at this point in the story is largely the same as it was when she arrived at Castle Black in A Dance with Dragons. She is the heir to Karhold. In fact, her position is less ambiguous onscreen. On the page, Alys’ brother Harrion is still alive, but in Lannister captivity. On the show, Harrion died fighting for Robb early in the show’s going.

However, the show introduced a new character in season 6: Harald Karstark, another of Alys’ brothers. He joined up with Ramsay to fight Jon Snow. But Harald likely perished in the Battle of the Bastards, or if he didn’t, will probably be executed or dispossessed as punishment for joining the Boltons. That leaves Alys as the heir to her House, whether the show introduces her scheming extended family or not.

A marriage between Tormund and Alys could help integrate the wildlings into Northern society. There’s also the matter of remuneration. Throughout seasons 5 and 6, Tormund emerged as one of Jon Snow’s most ardent supporters. Now that he’s King in the North, Jon may see fit to reward Tormund in the way Westerosi victors traditionally reward their allies: with lands, titles and advantageous marriages.

If Tormund becomes the head of a new house with Karhold as its seat, it would also give the wildlings somewhere to settle. The Karstark lands lie far to the northeast, relatively isolated from the rest of the North. Keeping a healthy distance between the new wildling transplants and the rest of the Northerners may be best for everybody, and would keep violence between the groups to a minimum. Additionally, the Karstark lands are relatively close to the Wall, at least moreso than Winterfell. Jon and Tormund are well aware of the dangers lurking north of the Wall, and should the need arise, it would be useful for Tormund to have his forces nearby.

We hate to break the collective hearts of the fans, but a marriage between Tormund and Alys Karstark seem far more likely than one between him and Brienne. Jon needs to unify the North, integrate the wildlings into Northern society and reward his supporters for their loyalty. A union between Tormund and Alys accomplishes all of these things.

Via http://winteriscoming.net/2017/03/02/speculation-could-tormund-giantsbane-have-a-surprise-marriage-in-season-7/

Liam Cunningham (Davos) walks back talk of a July premiere date for season 7

It’s hard being a cast member on Game of Thrones. Everybody outside the production wants you to talk about it, everybody inside wants you to talk about anything else. Where is the line? What is safe to mention?

Last week, Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth) dropped a hint about the premiere date to the Irish Independent. “I’ve been disappointing various people around the world because it was meant to come out in April,” he said. “It’s July now, I think.”

A July premiere date for season 7 isn’t absurd. After all, since we know the show won’t be eligible for the 2017 Emmys, the premiere has to be on June 1 or later. With a seven-week run, it’s possible it’ll debut in what was the True Detective slot in mid-July, which will put the finale just prior to the US Labor Day holiday.

But apparently that’s not an okay thing to talk about, because now Cunningham is walking his comment back. Naturally, he did it with the aid of a quote from Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles:

Davos don’t know date. Mongo only pawn in Game Of Thrones. #gameofthronesseason7

— liam cunningham (@liamcunningham1) February 27, 2017

For those who don’t know the original:

Poor Mondo! Poor Liam! Only pawns in the Great Game, to be moved about from interview to interview. You know how HBO could clear this up, though? Why don’t they release the first official still from Game of Thrones…WITH A PREMIERE DATE! It would distract everyone from Cunningham’s comments and give us all other things to talk about!

Or even better: a trailer!

Ok, maybe that last one is a bit too much to ask still. But here’s hoping.

Via http://winteriscoming.net/2017/03/01/cunningham-walks-back-july-season-7-premiere-date/

Which book character do fans wish Game of Thrones hadn’t omitted? Poll results:

HBO partners with Major League Baseball to promote Game of Thrones season 7

Game of Thrones Teaming Up With Major League Baseball to Promote Season Seven

We may not have an official premiere date yet for Game of Thrones season seven, but the HBO promotion machine is already revving up.

Deadline reports today that the network is teaming up with Major League Baseball to promote Game of Thrones, with “at least 19 Major League Baseball teams” participating this summer in the partnership.

The promotions are still in the works, and according to Deadline, “will vary by team.” As for what the promotions entail, it’s a little vague but promising: the report says there may be “development of collectible and co-branded merchandise, ticket packages, giveaways, theme nights, and social media events.”

Why Major League Baseball? “We’ve had a longstanding partnership with HBO,” says MLB’s EVP of Business Noah Garden. Apparently, HBO Now is powered by MLB’s BAMTech platform. The deal is beneficial to both parties since Game of Thrones‘ new season will premiere somewhere in the middle of baseball season, and GoT is popular with millennials, a demographic sought after by MLB.

Reportedly, the baseball teams currently set to take part include: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals.

And no,  MLB’s reps have “no idea” when season seven will arrive- at least, that’s what they’re telling Deadline. Visit the original article for more details!

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Finn Jones talks similarities between Game of Thrones and Iron Fist