The smash HBO series "Game of Thrones" has officially landed some directors for Season 5, which is set to debut next April. The show continues to gain popularity in the off season with new fans jumping on the bandwagon via HBO On Demand. Die hard fans are still reeling this summer from the epic Season 4 finale from back in June.

There will be new faces in the director's chair for next season. Still, that is not to say that the network is just handing the series over to rookies. The pedigree of these new auteurs is most definitely impressive.

According to reports from Entertainment Weekly, the list of new directors is a virtual who's who of TV and film talent. The only returning director will be David Nutter, who has helmed three previous episodes in Seasons 1 and 3. Michael Slovis ("Breaking Bad") will direct the first two episodes, Mark Mylod ("Shameless") will direct episodes three and four, Jeremy Podeswa ("Boardwalk Empire") has episodes five and six, Miguel Sapochnik ("Fringe") handles episodes seven and eight and Nutter will do the final two episodes.

While it is odd to see so many new faces directing for such an established hit, the new blood may add to the mystique of "Game of Thrones" with a fresh take on the series. In the casting department, the most notable new face will be that of Keisha-Castle Hughes of "Whale Rider" fame playing one of the "Sand Snakes," one of the eight daughters of now deceased Dornish Prince Oberyn Martell. Surely fans remember his head exploding in the second to last episode this year after a scene-stealing run.

It is unclear as to why the production decided to go with new directors for Season 5, but it most certainly won't effect the rabid fan base. Fans cannot get enough of the show and the books on which the series is based. The series has become a crossover hit with audiences of not only the fantasy genre but also for people more interested in the very human stories unfolding. The series will be hosting a panel on the fifth season at the San Diego Comic Con later this month.

The series and the brand continue to grow with each passing season. Now that the new directors are in place, fans may see a whole new side to "Game of Thrones." It may be a while off, but fans are already counting the days until the Season 5 premiere.