'Game of Thrones' Season 6 Premiere Delayed to May?

The 42-week wait in between Game of Thrones Seasons has been torturous enough, but even after its most hotly-contested cliffhanger yet, Game of Thrones Season 6 may put us through another agonizing month. A new realization about the HBO 2016 schedule could push Game of Thrones’ next premiere to May, rather than the April start we’ve grown accustomed to.

Earlier today, HBO announced that its Vinyl premiere would arrive on February 14, with Girls and Togetherness joining on the 21, notably later than the previous years. It was an innocuous enough change at first, but as several outlets have pointed out, Vinyl’s two-hour premiere and 10-episode order would put its finale on April 10.

That leaves April 17 as the earliest possible opportunity for Game of Thrones Season 6 to premiere, rather than the 24, as several other reports have neglected to factor in Vinyl’s double-premiere. Should HBO eschew the April 17 opportunity anyway, that could place the premiere as far back as May 1, given the unlikelihood of launching a premiere on Easter Sunday, April 24.

Elsewhere of Game of Thrones Season 6, screen legend Max von Sydow has been cast as the mysterious Three-Eyed Raven to a returning Bran, while Deadwood alum Ian McShane will also appear in a limited, mysterious role, joining Richard E. Grant and The Babadook star Essie Davis as theatre troup players, four notable actors as the Tarly family, Melanie Liburd as a new Red Priestess, and Borgen star Pilou Asbæk as fan-favorite Euron Greyjoy. Apart from a list of directors, Of Monsters and Men will put in a cameo, and story logistics seemingly confirm scenes set at The Wall next year, presumably to explain this giant spoiler.