Yes, I know, Game of Thrones season 8 isn’t coming until 2019. While we still (maybe) have another winter to get through before we reach the promised land of the final six episodes, we now know who will be directing each episode, and in what order. The Red Wedding and Battle of the Bastards directors have a huge role to play – so expect deaths, dragons and battles. Lots of battles.

Winter is Coming have worked out the directing order for each episode, which is as follows: Episodes 1, 2, and 4 will be directed by The Rains of Castamere (aka the Red Wedding) director David Nutter. Meanwhile, episodes 3 and 5 are placed in the very capable hands of Miguel Sapochnik, of Battle of the Bastards fame. The sixth episode, the season finale, will be helmed by showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss themselves.

So, what does that mean? For one thing, Sapochnik’s speciality when it comes to Thrones is very much large-scale battles. As well as Battle of the Bastards, he’s also directed the battle-heavy Hardhome and the fantastic Game of Thrones season 6 finale The Winds of Winter which, for my money, is the best Thrones episode ever. So, mark down episodes 3 and 5 as potentially involving something very, very exciting indeed. It’s no coincidence that we’ve given five stars to every episode he’s directed, folks.

Nutter, though, is no slouch himself when it comes to directing moments that left you gasping. The Red Wedding, of course, but also episodes that included Cersei’s walk of shame in season 5, and the season 3 finale involving Reek’s, ahem, sausage.

That leaves the season finale. It’s no surprise to see the showrunners in charge of that one, it’s pretty commonplace elsewhere in television, and it’ll be the first episode directed by either man since the season 4 premiere. They’ll have the final say on all things Thrones, but Nutter and Sapochnik’s act will surely be tough ones to follow, and it ensures every episode will be utterly brilliant.

For more Thrones words to pore over, you have to check out this piece on all things fire wight heading into season 8. If that’s not enough to scratch that Westerosi itch, here are 13 questions we have after watching Game of Thrones season 7.

Image: HBO