EXCLUSIVE: HBO’s fantasy drama Game Of Thrones has been a rare combination of a ratings smash, cultural phenomenon and a critical darling, winning the Best Drama Series Emmy last year. I hear the stars of the series are sharing in its success with major new salary bumps for what is rumored to be Game Of Thrones’ final chapter.

I hear mainstays Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) will all be paid north of $500,000 an episode for Season 7, which has been officially picked up, and Season 8, which is widely expected. HBO has not specified the size of the order for Season 7, but speculation has been that both Season 7 and Season 8 would be shorter than the standard for the show 10 episodes, possibly seven episodes (Season 7) and six episodes (Season 8).

HBO said that it doesn’t discuss contract negotiations.

The move helps secure the key GOT cast for the series’ final run. However, I hear it does not guarantee that all five characters will survive til the end as the show’s last episodes are yet to be written. I hear the contracts of the other regulars who landed raises alongside the Big 5 in fall 2014, have not been redone yet.

I’d heard that the previous major GOT cast contract renegotiation in 2014 netted close to $300,000 an episode for Harington, Dinklage, Clarke, Headey and Coster-Waldau heading into Season 6 in exchange for the actors giving the network an option for a seventh season.

Now in a similar fashion, the stars are securing a major new salary increase for Season 7 as they also sign on for a possible Season 8.

Season 6 of GOT wraps its run this Sunday.