Kit Harington Reacts to Backlash Over Game of Thrones Season 8: 'How Dare You?'

Kit Harington did not mince his words as he reacted to the backlash around Game of Thrones Season 8. The actor, who played Jon Snow for nearly a decade, has revealed that he was “genuinely angered" by a fan-made petition demanding the final season be remade with what it called “competent writers." The petition went viral in 2019 after the show’s controversial ending. It went on to gather nearly two million signatures. “That genuinely angered me. Like, how dare you? Sorry, that’s just how I feel," Harington told The New York Times. He said, “I think it was a level of idiocy that can only come about through social media." At the height of the backlash, fans accused showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss of mishandling the story once George RR Martin’s books ran out. The petition bluntly stated that the creators had “proven themselves to be woefully incompetent writers" and called on HBO to redo the ending entirely. Seven years later, Harington says the reaction came as a shock. After riding the massive success of Game of Thrones for almost ten years, the actor felt the criticism dismissed the effort put in by the entire cast and crew. Game Of Thrones’ Team Was ‘Tired’ Earlier, the actor also acknowledged that exhaustion played a major role during the final stretch. Speaking to GQ in 2024, Harington admitted the team had reached its limit. He said, “I think if there was any fault with the end of Thrones, it’s that we were all so tired, we couldn’t have gone on longer." The actor added, “And so I understand some people thought it was rushed, and I might agree with them. But I’m not sure there was any alternative." Kit Harington Admits There Were ‘Mistakes’ Despite his frustration, Harington has shown some balance in his observation. According to him, “I think there were mistakes made, story-wise, towards the end, maybe. I think there were some interesting choices that didn’t quite work." HBO never considered remaking the season, though. Network head Casey Bloys confirmed the petition was noticed but dismissed. “It wasn’t something that we seriously considered," he said. Season 8 of Game of Thrones faced criticism for its rushed plotlines, handling of female character and even a misplaced Starbucks cup.