‘Game of Thrones’ Studio Tour review

‘Game of Thrones’ Studio Tour opens in Northern Ireland

The $54.3m (£40m) visitor attraction features replicas of key settings from the show and actual film sets and is 11,000sqft, but is it any good?

Whilst filming for Game of Thrones may have been completed in 2018, the spirit of the show is thriving in Northern Ireland, where parts of the scenic countryside served as the setting for much of Winterfell.

Last week the Game of Thrones studio opened to the public and MarkMeets were invited along to the launch for a special preview so help bring the magic of the fantasy series back to life for fans in a production for WION Edge.

Imagine yourself in King’s Landing, Winterfell, Dragonstone, The Wall, or in the kingdoms across the Narrow Sea, such as Mereen and Braavos.
Fans will love some of the show’s original sets, as well as costumes, props, and set pieces.

The iron throne from ‘Game of Thrones’ is on display at the new Game of Thrones Studio Tour at Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, Northern Ireland is well worth a look and we recommend you make a weekend of it!

Located in Banbridge, County Down, which is a 30-minute drive south of Belfast, the £40 million ($54.3m) visitor attraction features replicas of key settings from the show, including Dragonstone castle and the Chamber of the Painted Table, the main hall inside Dragonstone.

You can also follow in the footsteps of the actors who brought the Game of Thrones characters to life.

Wherever you look, there are half-built dragons and monsters, weapons, costumes and props that you’ll have seen on screen and wondered how they were created.

There are actual film sets to be explored too, including the Great Hall at Winterfell, as well as costumes, body-double dummies and interactive experiences.

The Banbridge studios are home to the Winterfell Great Hall – on the set, surrounded by the actual costumes with their intricate detailing, you stand where Kit Harrington, Peter Dinklage and Sean Bean have stood before you.

“Northern Ireland is the home of [Game of] Thrones,” said Claire Moles, head of marketing for the studio tour to The Independent. “It happened right here. This is where the story really began … where over a third of all the Northern Ireland Game of Thrones filming took place.”

It is hoped that the studio tour will attract tourists to Northern Ireland, where tourism has struggled to pick up amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Game of Thrones as “the gift that keeps on giving.”

“When this pandemic finally ends, this is going to be such an incredible attraction for the fans.”

Natalia Tena, who played the wildling Osha in Game of Thrones and Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter films, visited ahead of the launch and felt emotional returning to the sets and locations. “When I got in last night, I kind of nearly cried,” “I felt really nostalgic landing into Belfast, coming out of the airport. “It was just such a big part of my life, coming here and working on the show.”

The Game of Thrones story has not yet concluded. This year, HBO is releasing House of the Dragon, a prequel to the original series that is set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. It tells the story of House Targaryen and a civil war that takes place within the family.

The show stars Paddy Considine (The Outsider), Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One), Emma D’Arcy (Truth Seekers), Matt Smith (The Crown, Doctor Who), Steve Toussaint (It’s a Sin, Doctor Who), Eve Best (Nurse Jackie, The King’s Speech), Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill, The Amazing Spider-Man) and Sonoya Mizuno (Ex Machina, Crazy Rich Asians).

A release date for the series has not yet been announced.

The studio can be found approximately 25 miles (40 km) from Belfast.

Tickets are £39.95 for adults and £27.50 for children.

Buy Tickets – Game of Thrones Studio Tour at gameofthronesstudiotour.com