‘Game of Thrones’ gets Season 7 premiere date

THE wait is finally over — the new season of Game of Thrones has a return date.

THE wait is finally over — Game of Thrones has a return date.

HBO announced the seventh season of the fantasy epic will premiere on July 16, about two months later than usual. The news — as well as a new teaser video — was revealed during a Facebook Live event on Thursday, in which fans tuned in to watch a melting block of ice, which eventually revealed the date after about an hour.

The new season is set to be seven episodes, compared to the usual 10, as Game of Thrones plots its end game. HBO had previously said the debut would be pushed back from its traditional April debut to summer due to production constraints.

The new season is expected to be the most gruesome yet. Photo: HBO

Season 7 is expected to be the penultimate outing for the drama based on George R.R. Martin’s books, though its creators and the network have yet to confirm that plan.

Late last year, fans desperately counting down the days until the new episodes were thrown some little teasers to tide them over by none other than Alfie Allen, aka Theon Greyjoy.

The actor recently took to fan website Watchers on the Wall to spill some secrets from the new season, and warn viewers that this is going to be the darkest one yet.

According to him, it will be “more of the same, but better” — but with “more dragons, more torture!”

Given that his character only recently escaped years of torturous captivity at the hands of creepy villain Ramsay Bolton on the show, it’s understandable that he’d still be a little nervy when he returns to our screens.

“[Theon is] skittish and full of fear — and then that can kind of, I guess, evolve into rage, which you might see ... who knows?”

This story originally appeared in the NY Post and is republished here with permission.