Warning: possible spoilers ahead for Game of Thrones Season 7.
Game of Thrones was more epic than ever in Season 6 thanks to its massive battle between the armies of Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton. The Battle of the Bastards was the biggest and bloodiest fight sequence in the history of a show filled with bloody fight sequences, and it's hard to imagine the show topping itself with any future battle. From the looks of things, however, Game of Thrones may be trying to at least equal the Battle of the Bastards in terms of scale in Season 7.
Casting reports indicate that Game of Thrones is looking to bring in 450 extras to participate in a Season 7 battle. Filming for the battle will take place in Spain, which means that the fighting will likely take place in the southern regions of the Seven Kingdoms. Spain previously stood in primarily for Dorne while Croatia doubled as King's Landing, but Spain will reportedly host most of the filming for the southern regions of Westeros in Season 7. The 450 extras being recruited out of Spain likely means that at least one of the armies will be out of King's Landing or Dorne. Considering that the Battle of the Bastards ultimately involved 500 extras, we can expect that the preliminary 450 extras may be part of a sequence that is at least as major as the final confrontation between Jon and Ramsay.
It's been a while since we've seen a big battle in the south of the Seven Kingdoms. The Battle of the Blackwater of Season 2 took place in King's Landing, but most of the big fights since have taken place farther north or all the way over in Essos with Dany. The fighting may get too close for comfort for Cersei. Perhaps encroaching armies will be part of what motivates the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms to ally with Euron Greyjoy.
The candidates for work as Game of Thrones extras are currently being screened for qualities that hint at Unsullied involvement. Some were evidently asked if they would be willing to shave their beards and heads for the series. Approximately 8000 hopefuls turned up at the casting call in Spain; Watchers on the Wall reports that only 2400 men and 600 women were set to make it to the second stage of casting.
The 600 women to make it past the first cut indicates that the battle will include more diverse armies than the ranks of the Unsullied. Given the importance of women in Dornish society, the 600 women may be a clue that Dorne will finally march on King's Landing in Season 7. Throw in the fact that the show is looking for a large number of horses for the battle, and we may see the Dothraki in the mix as well.
Only time will tell if Game of Thrones Season 7 can produce a battle as big as the Battle of the Bastards. All signs do point toward a very different kind of fight than the Battle of the Bastards in Season 6 and Hardhome in Season 5, so we should be in for something new next season. Check out our breakdown of what we know so far about Game of Thrones Season 7 for a peek ahead, and don't forget to take a look at our fall TV premiere schedule.
