Despite its underlying presence throughout the series, sexual violence in Game of Thrones seemed to reach a fever pitch in Season 5, as one particular rape sequence galvanized an outcry from viewers. We’ve heard everyone from writers to stars and George R.R. Martin himself insisting on playing to inequities of a medieval world, though now creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have reportedly worked to address complaints in Season 6.

Take this with a grain of salt for now, but Game of Thrones director Jeremy Podeswa spoke recently at a breakfast briefing at Fox Studios Australia (via Forbes), revealing that Benioff and Weiss had at least heard some of the criticism surrounding the show’s use of sexual assault, taking it into account, and even altering a few Season 6 scenes as a result:

The show’s creators Dan Weiss and David Benioff “were responsive to the discussion and there were a  couple of things that changed  as a result … It is important that (the producers) not self-censor. The show depicts a brutal world where horrible things happen. They did not want to be too overly influenced by that (criticism) but they did absorb and take it in and it did influence them in a way.”

As of yet, it’s impossible to know exactly what might have changed for Season 6 and how, though the very notion of toning things down would seem to belie that more difficult scenes of sexual violence lay ahead in 2016. 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.

We still don’t know when exactly in April Game of Thrones will premiere, but is could Season 6 undo some of the cruelties of the past? What else might HBO reveal on the road to 2016?

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