Game of Thrones Season 7 release date unveiled

The much-awaited seventh season of Game of Thrones will premiere on July 16, a teaser released today revealed.

The critically acclaimed fantasy show will return with seven episodes – the first half of its final season.

New cast members joining the show include Harry Potter and Moulin Rouge actor Jim Broadbent, who is rumored to be playing Archmaester Marwyn.

And according to IMDB, returning cast members include Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Iain Glen, Alfie Allen, John Bradley, Conleth Hill, Aiden Gillen, Gwendolyn Christie, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Jerome Flynn, Liam Cunningham, Rory McCann, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ben Crompton, Daniel Portman, Carice Van Houten, Kristofer Hjivu, Jacob Anderson, Hannah Murray, Diana Rigg, Anton Lesser, Ellie Kendrick, Gemma Whelan, Indira Varma, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Paul Kaye, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Jessica Henwick, Bella Ramsey, Pilou Asbaek, Tim McInnerny, Richard Rycroft and James Faulkner.

There is also a rumored role for UFC star Conor McGregor.

Is this real?

The season will draw together many of the complicated and weaving storylines. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is at last bound for Westeros, with Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and Varys (Conleth Hill) at her side. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) has united the North and been declared its king, though will that be enough to contend with the undead masses bound for the Wall? Cersei (Lena Headey) has taken out most of her enemies in one fell swoop, though there could be trouble ahead courtesy of both her brothers, Tyrion and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). And Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) is on the warpath, slitting the throat of the mastermind behind her mother and brother’s demise.