‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 7 Sets New Record For Setting People On Fire

The previous season of Game of Thrones concluded with Daenerys and her supporters finally making their way to Westeros where the Khaleesi will make her move for the Iron Throne. As expected, Daenerys will be putting her dragons to good use in her quest to reclaim her birthright as the upcoming seventh season will feature a record breaking scene involving the fire breathing beasts. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner David Benioff and stunt coordinator Rowley Irlam shared behind-the-scenes details on the scene that claims the record of setting the most people on fire by an entertainment production

Benioff explains that the scene in question involved setting a record number of stunt performers on fire.

“In one battle scene we set more stuntmen on fire than have ever been simultaneously set on fire. Our stunt coordinator really wanted to get in the Guinness Book of World Records for this.”

Irlam shared details on just how many performers were set on fire and compared the record to previous films that also featured a high number of burns.

“One sequence has 73 fire burns and that itself is a record. No film or TV show has ever done that in a whole show, let alone in one sequence. We also set 20 people on fire at one time, which is also a record. I think in Saving Private Ryan they had 13 on a beach, and on Braveheart they had 18 partial burns. Because of the nature of our attacking animals, we had the liberty to expand on that.”

Irlam described the extent of the danger stunt performers are in once they’ve been set on fire, revealing that even breathing would be hazardous.

“It’s totally different from going underwater in your bathtub and counting the seconds in your head. If somebody bumps you and you breathe in by accident you will breathe in flame.”

With 20 stunt performers set ablaze for one shot, Irlam explained why he tried to ensure each stuntman delivered a unique performance while they were engulfed in flames.

“We do different performances so hopefully you look through the fire and see a human being in the final throes of life. We try very hard to make it really feel like a casualty of war.”

Are you excited to see this scene unfold on screen? Share your thoughts below!

Game of Thrones season seven premieres on HBO on July 16, 2017.

Source: Entertainment Weekly