Winter is finally coming... this summer. Game Of Thrones fans have been given a release date and a fresh new trailer for season seven.

The eagerly awaited penultimate season, which promises a "Great War", won't hit UK screens until 17 July.

In an elaborate media stunt on Thursday, HBO bosses decided to give fans the news by melting a huge ice block to reveal the date on Facebook live.


As hot as the show is right now, it still took a few torches and around one hour for the date to appear - which led to thousands of fans mocking the stunt.

But the waiting was worth it because, at the end, HBO played a brand new trailer for the show's confirmed penultimate season.

Fans were kept guessing though, as the trailer did not give much away, lacked new visuals and instead played old lines from some of the characters.

Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke, says: "I know what my father was, what he did. I know the mad king earned his name."

The trailer then moves on to King Robert vowing to kill every Targaryen, Joffrey ordering the execution of Ned Stark, Greyjoy welcoming Theon and Roose Bolton at the Red Wedding.

Rumours surrounding the seventh season centre on Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen
Image Caption:Rumours surrounding the seventh season centre on Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen


But the biggest revelation in the new trailer comes from Jon Snow's distant voice.

"There's only one war that matters," he is heard saying.

"The Great War. And it is here."

With only 14 episodes to go until the grand finale, fans can expect the next season to revolve around the White Walkers and a "brutal, bloody and wintry return to Westeros".

The sixth season culminated in Daenerys setting sail for the Seven Kingdoms, Snow dubbed King of the North, Cersei seizing the Iron Throne and the Night King amassing forces.

The show will be available from 2am on Sky Atlantic on 17 July and online streaming service Now TV

Source: Skynews