Kit Harington reveals Game of Thrones cast members were “tired” and could not have “gone on longer” by final season

Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow in HBO's Game of Thrones, has acknowledged these criticisms towards the final season of the series for the first time in an interview with British GQ on August 12, 2024. The conclusion of the series in 2019 was easily one of the most argued-about television endings of the past decade.

According to him, by the time they hit the final season, the cast and crew were dead tired.

“I think if there was any fault with the end of ‘Thrones,’ is that we were all so fucking tired, we couldn’t have gone on longer,” Harington said.

While fans might have wanted more from the final episodes, Harington's revelations indicate that production was wrestling with enough substantial behind-the-scenes issues to affect what came out during the final season.

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Kit Harington acknowledges fan criticisms of the final season of Game of Thrones

Kit Harington did not flinch from admitting that many fans were dissatisfied with the way the final season of Game of Thrones turned out. He confessed in the same interview that he might agree with some of the criticisms, more specifically about the pacing and storytelling decisions.

“And so I understand some people thought it was rushed and I might agree with them. But I’m not sure there was any alternative. I look at pictures of me in that final season and I look exhausted. I look spent. I didn’t have another season in me.”

Kit Harington's admission of the show's flaws gives insight into the convoluted procedure of ending a beloved series.

Harington added that “everyone is entitled to their opinion” as far as the controversial finale, adding: “I think there were mistakes made, story-wise, toward the end maybe. I think there were some interesting choices that didn’t quite work.”

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The Jon Snow sequel: An idea that never materialized

Right after the wrap-up of Game of Thrones, certain discussions were floating around regarding a sequel series with Jon Snow. However, Harington confirmed that the project, pitched by HBO, is now canceled.

The actor revealed in the same interview, that he did briefly think about exploring the post-series life of Jon Snow but nothing came through.

"We spent a couple of years back and forth developing it,” he continued. “And it just didn’t … nothing got us excited enough. In the end, I kind of backed out and said, ‘I think if we push this any further and keep developing it we could end up with something that’s not good. And that’s the last thing we all want.’”

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Kit Harington distances himself from House of the Dragon

Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon has just wrapped its season 3, but Kit Harington has not been a part of it. In an Associated Press interview he expressed that he can't watch the show because he used to live in the Game of Thrones world for too many years.

He wished the cast and crew of House of the Dragon all the best but said that he wouldn't be watching the prequel or even revisiting Game of Thrones itself anytime within a few years.

“I just can’t watch it,” he said. “I think for me it’s just I’ve spent too long there. And I wish them all the best. I hear it’s wonderful and going really well. But I don’t think I’ll ever watch that show, and I don’t think I’ll watch ‘Game of Thrones’ again for a few years.”

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Kit Harington's thoughts on the final season of Game of Thrones give a very frank view of exactly what was eating away at the cast and crew as this epic series came to a close. His admission of the criticisms, paired with an explanation of the exhaustion that plagued production, affords fans some understanding of decisions that helped shape the conclusion of the series.