Is that a Starbucks coffee cup in Game Of Thrones scene?

The cup, which appeared in front of Daenerys Targaryen for only a few seconds, may have gone unnoticed by the show's vast production team - but not by its millions of fans. PHOTO: JENNA GUILLAUME / TWITTER

NEW YORK - Starbucks just got a break - a coffee break.

During Sunday (May 5) night's episode of Game Of Thrones, eagle-eyed fans spotted a disposable coffee cup on a table.

The cup, which appeared for only a few seconds, presumably went unnoticed by the show's vast production team, reported the New York Times.

Game Of Thrones is one of the most expensive and elaborately produced television shows ever.

Maybe the folk in charge of vetting the footage took a coffee break when the cup popped up in the scene.

"Maybe they assumed that the lighting would be as dark as last week's instalment and that nobody would notice," one fan joked on Twitter, alluding to complaints about a lack of lighting in the previous week's episode.

Was it a Starbucks cup, as so many online suggested?

The folk at the coffee chain certainly skipped their own coffee breaks to tap this opportunity to brew up more publicity.

"We're surprised (the character in the show) didn't order a Dragon Drink," Starbucks said of its pink concoction with sweet mango and dragon fruit flavours.

HBO, the company behind Game Of Thrones, also gave fans another sip of humour by saying in a statement: "The latte that appeared in the episode was a mistake."

It added that one of the show's characters had actually ordered a "herbal tea".

But some netizens also wonder if the coffee cup was inserted deliberately, to whip up further publicity for the show.

How could a show that makes sure no one leaks secrets about the plot slip up, they ask.

But the New York Times reported that other bloopers had occurred before.

In The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001), which is set in a world without modern technology, a car can be seen in the background as the main characters Sam and Frodo converse in a field.

Downton Abbey (2010-2015), a popular British drama set in the early 20th century, released a promotional photo with a plastic water bottle in the background.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.