Game of Thrones showrunners are "terrified" about making season 5

"Did we mention those anti-anxiety pills?" says David Benioff

Ellie Walker-Arnott, 16 June 2014

RadioTimes

We might not have seen the season four finale over here yet (No spoilers, please America) but showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff are already teasing season five. 

And it sounds like a stressful affair. 

The pair, who have been the brains behind the last four successful series of the hit fantasy drama, are still a long way from bringing the next series to TV.

"We're not even finished writing the future seasons," said Dan Weiss, adding: "I should probably be doing that right now, actually." 

"As for season five, we're still figuring out how we can afford everything we want to do," continued Benioff to The Hollywood Reporter. "There are a few sequences that are absolutely terrifying from a production standpoint."

If you're planning on guessing which sequences these may be, you might not want to look to George RR Martin's novels though. 

Going on to discuss the difficulties of deviating from the well-known books the series is based on, Benioff said: "We have to make a show that succeeds on its own terms, and sometimes that means veering away from the books. Some people will be upset by that. Some people will like it."

"The books are the reason we are doing this, they're our road map, and they provide many or most of our destinations," added Weiss. "But there are many ways to get to each destination, and some are more appropriate for our show than others."

"Did we mention those anti-anxiety pills?" Benioff joked.