'Game of Thrones' undergoing changes following controversial scene

SYDNEY, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Hit HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones will be undergoing some changes next season following fan backlash over a controversial rape scene involving Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner).

Speaking at an event at Fox Studios Australia, director Jeremy Podeswa who is set to direct several episodes for the show's upcoming sixth season, spoke about the scene and how producers David Benioff and D.B Weiss have taken fan feedback into consideration when making changes in the script.

"It is important that (Benioff and Weiss) not self-censor. The show depicts a brutal world where horrible things happen," Podeswa said. "They did not want to be too overly influenced by that (criticism) but they did absorb and take it in and it did influence them in a way."

The now infamous episode which Podeswa directed during Season 5, featured Stark being raped by her sadistic new husband Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon).

"It was a difficult and brutal scene and we knew it was going to be challenging for the audience," Podeswa continued. "But it was very important to us in the execution that it would not be exploited in any way. To be fair, the criticism was the notion of it, not the execution. It was handled as sensitively as it could possibly be."

Earlier in December, HBO released the first teaser trailer for Season 6 which is set to premiere in April.