While fans continue to speculate over the fate of Jon Snow, HBO has announced that Game Of Thrones will likely last at least eight seasons.
Eight seasons may not seem to be enough for fans who can’t get enough of the hit show, but it is one more than what was once expected. For awhile now, showrunners have insisted that the series would end after the seventh season, but HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo has announced that it has been extended to eight, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Lombardo said at the TCAs press tour on Thursday (via Entertainment Weekly), “The question is: How much beyond seven are we going to do? Obviously we’re shooting six now, hopefully discussing seven. [Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss are] feel like there’s two more years after six. I would always love for them to change their minds, but that’s what we’re looking at right now.”
Of course that’s not a guarantee that the show will be renewed for two more seasons but its high ratings and fan following don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. It’s not hard to imagine a world in which Game Of Thrones is renewed for as many seasons as the creative minds behind would like.
If eight seasons doesn’t seem like enough Game Of Thrones, Lombardo also discussed being open to prequels and spinoffs after a question about the wealth of source material from author George R. R. Martin. “I would be open to anything that Dan and David wanted to do—about Game of Thrones, or any subject matter,” Lombardo said (via Entertainment Weekly). “It really would depend fully on what they wanted to do. I think you’re right, there’s enormous storytelling to be mined in a prequel, if George and Dan and David decide they want to tackle that.”
Of course the hot topic of Jon Snow was brought up as well. As we reported here, there’s a lot of reasons to speculate that he may not actually be gone from the show, but Lombardo insists, “Dead is dead is dead.”
In other Game Of Thrones news, the season five digital download will be available at the end of next month, months ahead of the physical release, according to Entertainment Weekly. Normally the digital and physical versions are released at the same time in the spring before a new season, but in just one short month season five will be available along with all of the bonus features.
Season six is filming now and is expected to premiere in the spring.