'Game Of Thrones' Cast Was Spotted Prepping For Filming & This Photo Proves Tormund Is Probably Still Alive

It's finally October! October is the best month of the year because it brings fall weather, Halloween, Oktoberfest, pumpkins and their associated pies, and most importantly, the beginning of filming for Game of Thrones Season 8. And if it's time for filming on the final season of the show to begin, that means the actors are heading back into Belfast and we have the Game of Thrones paparazzi photos to prove it.

How can we be so sure they're all in town for Game of Thrones? Liam Cunningham spilled the schedule beans.

On Saturday {Oct. 7} I get on a plane from New York back to Ireland.... I go straight up to Belfast, where.... we are having to first table read on Sunday of three episodes. And then on Monday we read the next three.... Then we rehearse for the rest of that week with two of the directors.... Then we start filming officially on the 16th or the 19th of October, so that's what, three week's time? In three week's time, we start.

Cunningham flew in before most of the rest of the cast. But he also lives in Ireland, and commutes to Belfast by car, unlike those who are coming from other countries and have hotels. The rest started arriving in droves the next morning.

Yes, they do fly in large packs to Belfast, partly because their flights are all booked by production assistants, and it much easier to buy out sections of the plane.

Two years ago, when Game of Thrones Season 6 began filming, the "arrivals" were a huge deal. With Jon Snow "officially" dead, fans were looking to see if actor Kit Harington would be spotted in Belfast anyway, coming back to work on a show he was claiming he had been fired from. This year, the stakes aren't quite so high, but we do have a couple of characters whose alive/dead status is in question.

As we may recall, the final scene in Game of Thrones Season 7 took place at Eastwatch, the most eastern of the castle garrisons along the Wall, from which the Night's Watch (and now the Wildlings) were to fight to keep the Night King on the far side.

Instead, when the Army of the Dead showed up, this happened:

So, did Tormund and Beric survive? The actors who play them, Kristofer Hivju and Richard Dormer, have been cagey, with Dormer going as far to say he hoped not, while Hivju simply insisting he had no idea.

Well, clearly he does have some idea now, because he's part of a huge group that showed up in Belfast this weekend.

The "Titanic Quarter" is the part of Belfast dominated by — you guessed it — Titanic Studios, where the series is filmed.

Then, this was snapped at the Titanic Hotel:

In case you're thinking, "Well, he could have flown to Belfast for something totally different," and it's just a coincidence, here's who arrived with him.

That's Iain Glen, who we *know* is back for Season 8, and in Belfast for filming. And also:

Isaac Hempstead Wright, who plays Bran, also arriving at the same time, in the same place. All three traveling together is *not a coincidence.*

They're not the only actors in town, either. With all six scripts getting a full read through over a 48 period, everyone is there.

That's Sophie Turner (Sansa) and Maisie Williams (Arya) out shopping together.

And here's Kit Harington (Jon Snow), John Bradley (Samwell Tarly) and Emilia Clarke and her new hair (Daenerys Targaryen.) Apparently, they were out for coffee.

Oh, and about that whole "no selfie" rule Maisie cited? Not everyone is so strict.

Sam Tarly really is the nicest, you guys.

Game of Thrones Season 8 starts filming Oct. 16 or Oct. 19. Hopefully, we'll find out which date Cunningham cited was the right one soon.