"Game of Thrones" Season 6 will be less darker than its previous seasons. The declaration comes from none other than the hit fantasy drama series' writer-producer Bryan Cogman, who announced recently that while season 5 was the show's "darkest and most troubling season" that took its characters to the brink, the upcoming season will be kind of a next act.
Cogman was speaking during an interview when he tackled some pre-season questions and talked about the inherent pressure of creating the first season set almost entirely beyond the narrative scope of George R.R. Martin's novels. He hinted that the show's last season left several of its characters in lowest points who will now rebuild their lives in the upcoming season.
"This season is still very dark, very intense, but it's very much a next act," Cogman told Entertainment Weekly.
Addressing the issue of too-much violence shown on "Game of Thrones," the 36-year-old stated that the series is a story about a world war and war is tough on everybody. He also cited the world history and World War 1 before slamming the accusation that the show runners usually show violence only for its shock value.
Cogman also teased about the upcoming season by talking about the show's biggest action sequence is yet to come when he said that the show runners always wanted to do a big battle scene with massive armies on each side. He also emphasized that Season 6 will show rival characters being forced to work together creating dramatic tensions.
"Game of Thrones" Season 6 is set to premiere this week on April 24 on HBO. Meanwhile, a 37-second clip has been released exclusively from Season 6 episode 1 showing Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) runnig through the forest and being followed by Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon)'s dreaded hounds. Sansa was last seen leaping from the Winterfell wall along with Theon to escape Ramsay in the last season's finale episode.
Sansa is expected to take ownership of her life from this point as she is likely to seek revenge for her family. Turner had earlier hinted at her character's fate in the upcoming season by revealing to GQ that unlike her sister Arya Stark, Sansa's weapon is her mind and intellect. Watch the "Game of Thrones" Season 6 promo below: