There are still as many as five months to go before we get a new season of hit fantasy series Game of Thrones, but that isn’t stopping HBO from trying to stir up the show’s fan base on social media.
On Monday, the premium cable network tweeted a teaser ad for season six of the series based on George R.R. Martin’s books premieres sometime in April 2016. The post from the show’s official Twitter (TWTR) account features an image of one of the show’s characters, Jon Snow, who [SPOILER!] appeared to have died in the final episode of the last season. The ad shows Snow’s face, with splattered blood on it, above the word “April” and the HBO logo.
APRIL. #GoTSeason6#GameOfThronespic.twitter.com/DSK2xZi9i9
— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) November 23, 2015
The cliffhanger finale of Game of Thrones‘ fifth season, in which Snow is stabbed and appears to die, has sparked a wave of speculation over the fate of the character. Actor Kit Harrington, who portrays Snow, has been besieged by questions from fans wondering whether or not he’ll return to the show, with something as simple as changes to Harrington’s hair length seeming to spark online frenzies of fan speculation.
Game of Thrones is so popular with fans and critics alike — the show’s last season won a record 12 Emmys, including for Outstanding Drama Series — that HBO’s programming president, Michael Lombardo, said over the summer that he wants the show to run for at least eight seasons, with the potential for a prequel series, as well. The show has helped boost subscriber growth at HBO, as the premium cable network’s strong revenue growth recently helped offset an otherwise disappointing quarter for parent company Time Warner (TWX).