Kit Harington was ‘Genuinely Angered’ By Fan Petition to Remake ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 With ‘Competent Writers’: ‘How Dare You?’

Kit Harington recently told the New York Times that he was deeply offended by the viral 2019 petition for “Game of Thrones” Season 8 to be remade with “competent writers.” The petition started with a goal of 15,000 signatures and ultimately obtained over 1.8 million.

“That genuinely angered me,” Harington said, noting the efforts of series writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. “Like, how dare you? Sorry, that’s just how I feel. I think it was a level of idiocy that can only come about through social media.”

Harington, who starred in the HBO drama as Jon Snow, told the Times that he was in rehab when the final “Game of Thrones” season premiered. When he got out, he was shocked by the overwhelming negativity, considering the work he and the rest of the production team had put in. Harington recalled that one battle scene took 55 consecutive filming days to complete.

HBO CEO Casey Bloys, who was then programming chief, said in 2019 that he and the “GOT” team were aware of the petition, but never “seriously considered” listening to its demands for a reshoot.

“There are very, very few downsides to having a hugely popular show, but one I can think of is when you try to end it, many people have big opinions on how it should end,” he said. “The petition shows a lot of enthusiasm and passion for the show, but it wasn’t something that we seriously considered.”

“Game of Thrones” Season 8 was criticized for everything from the treatment of its female protagonists to its lighting and cinematography. The most viral blowback from the season came after fans spotted a misplaced Starbucks cup in a scene.