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Will HBO’s GAME OF THRONES Leak Actually Affect The Show?

HBO might as well stand for Home Botch Office this year. After suffering the most substantial hack since Sony in 2014, the network accidentally aired the next episode of Game Of Thrones on one of its international channels. Though they are blaming a third-party vendor for the mishap, still not a great look, especially for the penultimate episode of the shortened season, usually the most action-packed installments of the series. But will it actually matter? Will people forego their usual Sunday night ritual and sneak a peak at the show and bring down viewership?

Today on Nerdist News Talks Back host Jessica Chobot and Nerdist’s Dan Casey, Alicia Lutes, and Kyle Hill get to the bottom of the HBO issue before discussing Batfleck updates and Daniel Craig’s final turn as James Bond. So first thing’s first: as bad as the HBO leak looks from a marketing and operational standpoint, we don’t think the leak will substantially affect viewership. Firstly, we have an extremely recent precedent proving this won’t be a big deal. Despite an initial leak, “The Spoils of War” set a record for Game Of Thrones viewership. Why is that? Likely a few reasons. The show is the biggest in the world and its viewership over time is like compounding interest. New viewers get into the show before each season and every year mean more eyeballs overall. Also, this stage in the show’s trajectory, fans have rituals with friends and want the highest quality experience possible. Why forfeit that to watch not even the entire episode on a shitty laptop screen and then feel dirty about yourself? We’re all still tuning in this Sunday and we’d bet the vast majority of you feel the same way.

The crew also talked about the latest developments in the world of Batman. Ben Affleck’s brother Casey hinted that his big bro won’t be returning to the cape and cowel but that remains to be seen. What we do know is that we want to see a refreshed take on Batman solidified in the next film. Perhaps that will be a natural course correction post-Wonder Woman, but Justice League will certainly clue us in.

Okay what do we have left? Oh right, Daniel Craig (Danny C for you and me). So he finally revealed that he is doing one last job as James Bond for the iconic franchise. Our guess is a simple one: he wants to end on a high note a la Logan. Why go out with the fizzle of Specter when you could go out with a clicked-pen bang. Hopefully we get a Casino Royale or Skyfall caliber film from him once more.

What do you think about the HBO leak? Think Batman is going to course correct during Justice League? Stoked for Danny C’s final Bond installment? Sound off in the comments below.

Images: HBO, Warner Bros., MGM

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