Game of Thrones season 7 directors announced

Game of Thrones wrapped season six this last weekend with that incredibly satisfying finale "The Winds of Winter." But what am I saying? You already knew that. You're probably counting down the days until the series returns for its shortened seventh season. Each year GoT typically enters production at the tail-end of July, because of how long it takes to film each episode. Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are prepping to shoot now, tightening up scripts and giving out directing gigs to this talented bunch. 

 Thanks to EW, we now know who's going to be directing season seven; Alan Taylor, Jeremy Podeswa, Mark Mylod and Matt Shakman. Four names in total suggests that they'll helm two episodes apiece. But who knows?  

Taylor filmed four episodes in season two before taking off to film Thor: The Dark World and Terminator Genisys. He's been away from the series since 2012, handing the reins to the likes of Podeswa who gave us the harrowing season five entry, "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken" and Mylod who delivered season six's superb Hound-centric "The Broken Man." Then there's Shakman - the new kid on the block, who previously directed episodes of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Mad Men, and Fargo. It'll be a change up for the show to throw in some new blood.

That leaves Miguel Sapochnik, the director behind "Hardhome", "Battle of the Bastards"AND "The Winds of Winter" on the sidelines for the coming production year. But let's not forget there's an eighth and final season in the pipeline. Fingers crossed he will be on board for at least one episode - the series finale. 

Images: HBO