As sure as winter is coming, we also know that Season Seven of HBO’s smash-hit series Game of Thrones is on the way. But the channel has yet to actually renew the eighth and final season of George RR Martin’s fantasy series, with the HBO bigwigs dragging their heels because of news that the creators might be about to change their minds on the number of episodes they plan to produce.
Last year, showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss revealed that the final two seasons of the show would be shorter than the others, with only 13 episodes split between them. The split was reported to be one season of seven, and a final season of six, down from the 10-episode seasons that have been broadcast so far.
That was not warmly received by HBO, which has come to rely on Game of Thrones as a massive revenue-making show in its catalogue. While the subscription channel has said it stands behind the creative decisions of the show, they have been thinking of a post-Game of Thrones future, looking for ways to fill the void left. That includes reports of a potential prequel series, with George RR Martin reportedly in talks to develop it based on his notes.
But now it appears that Benioff and Weiss might be changing their minds about the six-episode run for the series finale, with HBO now waiting to see what they decide upon before officially renewing the show.
“I think they’re trying to get a shape of the season,” HBO programming president Casey Bloys said. “They always do what they think [will be] the best version of the show. It’s all about how many they’re comfortable [with]. But I’ll always take more.”
The seventh season of Game of Thrones, currently in production in Northern Ireland and other locations around the world, will broadcast during the summer.
