It will be debated whether this is good or bad news, but it sounds like Game of Thrones is starting to wind down. And we may get a truncated Season 7 and Season 8 as the popular HBO fantasy series heads into its home stretch. Season 6 doesn’t kick off until April 24, but that hasn’t stopped show runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss from discussing their future plans. And they believe there might only be 13 episodes left to tell in this harrowing saga.
Speaking with Variety, the pair were rather candid about their plans to bring Game of Thrones to a close. And they seem to be edging towards an abbreviated end game. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have decided to wrap up their Westeros tale with 7 episodes in Season 7, followed by just six episodes in Season 8, which will potentially be the final season. Says David Benioff.
“I think we’re down to our final 13 episodes after this season. We’re heading into the final lap. That’s the guess, though nothing is yet set in stone, but that’s what we’re looking at.”
Sources close to the show and its two showrunners want to clarify that those numbers may be exaggerated. And it’s still far too early to confirm that this is what will definitely happen in bringing everything to a close. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are said to just now be outlining their ultimate plans for how everything will play out. But it defiantly sounds like any season past Game of Thrones Season 6 will be shorter than the usual 10 episode runs of seasons past. Michael Lombardo, HBO’s programming president, has acknowledged the showrunners plans. He explains.
“That’s my understanding from them right now, those have been the conversations we’ve had. Because where these narratives go, it feels like another two years to them. As a television executive, as a fan, do I wish they said another six years? I do. I’m always an optimist, and I do believe we will figure this out.”
It has long been hinted at that Game of Thrones would end with Season 8. In January, it was widely reported that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were in talks for two more seasons. At the time, it was expected that Season 7 and Season 8 would run 10 episodes apiece, just like previous seasons. But the shorter episode run will allow the showrunners to spend more time creating each episode. Season 7 begins production this July.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss claim they can’t live up to the standards that they’ve set for both themselves and their fans in delivering 10 episodes a season from here on out. Especially in the show’s usual 12 to 14 month time frame. D.B. Weiss likens the current schedule to that of a movie schedule, one that no longer fits within the rigors of TV. While the pair are hoping for two shorter seasons, nothing is signed or confirmed, and Michael Lombardo is holding out hope for more than what is currently planned. At this time, none of the parties are discussing the possibility of a Game of Thrones Movie.