UPDATE: HBO has finally removed the coffee cup from the scene where it was visible. Also, the cup isn’t from the coffee chain company, Starbucks, it actually came from the production’s craft services according to the WSJ.
On Sundays airing of Game of Thrones final season episode 4, a Starbucks coffee cup was spotted early during a scene in the Last of the Starks episode. The to-go cup was left on set and had fans irritated that a slip-up of this magnitude happened on TVs most expensive show – it has a budget of $15 million per episode.
Holy crap I had to go back to see that Starbucks cup on Game of Thrones and take a screenshot. How did the editing team miss this? LOL pic.twitter.com/GEcjbbP5p7
— 𝚔𝚒𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚒 (@kiruti) May 6, 2019
See it here too
my favorite show in the entire world forgot a STARBUCKS COFFEE CUP ON THE TABLE WHILE FILMING pic.twitter.com/60z3pOCfg9
— zane (@zane) May 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/danystormborn/status/1125272267242573824
The episode has alot of drinking during it early scenes as they celebrate defeating the Night King and his army of white walkers in an episode that was shot for straight up 55 minutes and it’s only fair that everyone involved have some caffeine in their blood streams, am I right?
But others had a different take
https://twitter.com/Muna_Mire/status/1125350184089681920
That Winterfell starbucks cashier ain't ready to write Dany's name on her coffee cup #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/N4ktWH1NlJ
— Joseph (@JosephTheJStar) May 6, 2019
Fans were wondering if it was a subtle product placement or just the cinematographers redeeming themselves after complaints of Episode 3 being too dark to see.
Broke: they accidentally left a starbucks cup on the set, oops
Woke: Starbucks is canon in Game of Thrones world
— Mint Alquior (@MintXIV) May 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/vladsavov/status/1125355423995969538
https://twitter.com/jenlikespizza/status/1125293238003408896
https://twitter.com/Allison_Minick/status/1125297148948615168
Memes ensued as usual.
https://twitter.com/ira/status/1125302824634445824
when you want to be ruler of the seven kingdoms but all anyone wants to talk about is the Starbucks cup you left on the table pic.twitter.com/MOOwXm08nw
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) May 6, 2019
TBH we're surprised she didn't order a Dragon Drink.
— Starbucks (@Starbucks) May 6, 2019
My favourite
GoT set person 1: Who left a Starbucks cup in the shot?
GoT set person 2: I don’t know. Check for a name.
GoT set person 1: (picks up cup and examines) A cup has no name.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) May 6, 2019
We now have answers. The out of place coffee cup wasn’t a product placement but a mistake that Game of Thrones Executive Bernie Caulfield is sorry fans had to see and that they’re sorry.
“If that’s the worst thing they’re finding then we’re in good shape.”
“If that’s the worst thing they’re finding then we’re in good shape,” he added in an optimistic tone when he had an interview with WNYC Radio.
We’re still yet to know if that scene will be updated to remove the cup. Game of Thrones even tweeted this out.
News from Winterfell.
The latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake. #Daenerys had ordered an herbal tea. pic.twitter.com/ypowxGgQRl
— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) May 6, 2019