Peter Dinklage says 'the clues were there' ahead of shock 'Game of Thrones' finale

Peter Dinklage has said fans should not have been surprised by the fate of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, because ample clues had been laid out.

The 52-year-old actor, who played Tyrion Lannister in the HBO fantasy series, told The Independent that Daenerys's decent into madness was signposted clearly.

Read more: How well do you remember Game of Thrones?

"I know a lot of people were supposedly surprised by the ending, but if you paid attention, the clues were there. We told you not to name your dog Khaleesi," said Dinklage.

The final season of Game of Thrones saw Daenerys burn down King's Landing with dragon fire before being killed by her lover Jon Snow, who was disturbed by her violent actions.

Watch: Peter Dinklage correctly guessed Tyrion's fate in Game of Thrones

Fans reacted with horror at the final season of the show, which has since become notorious as one of the most poorly-received TV finales in history.

Dinklage is one of many stars from the show who has defended the execution of the final season, calling it "extraordinary" in a 2019 interview.

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The Game of Thrones universe is set to expand on HBO with the release of prequel series House of the Dragon later this year.

Focusing on the Targaryen dynasty and starring Matt Smith and Olivia Cooke, the show takes place 300 years before the events of Thrones.

Dinklage said he is "excited" to watch the new show, but cautioned against the desire to hew too closely to the formula that made its predecessor a success.

"If you try to recreate it, that feels like a money grab," said the actor.

"With a lot of sequels, the reason for them is that the first one made a lot of money, which is why they aren’t as strong."

Read more: Cyrano and other exciting 2022 movies

Dinklage is currently promoting his lead role in the musical movie Cyrano, directed by Joe Wright and based on an off-Broadway musical take on the classic 19th century play Cyrano de Bergerac.

The cast of the film also includes Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Ben Mendelsohn.

Cyrano is due to arrive in UK cinemas on 25 February.

Watch: Trailer for Cyrano, starring Peter Dinklage