‘Game of Thrones’ Final Season May Be Delayed Until 2019
As we get closer to the final seasons of Game of Thrones, the anticipation of how it all will end is getting stronger and stronger. Season 7 is set to premiere in just a little over a month’s time and, with the promise of the show picking up a faster pace and with there being fewer episodes in a season, fans are expecting the conclusion of the series to follow shortly after this season. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like that will necessarily be the case.
Everyone, calm down!! Before we all freak out, it does sound like there’s a pretty good reason behind the delay. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, HBO’s programming president Casey Bloys confirmed that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are going to be given as much time as is needed in order to make sure the conclusion the series is done to absolute perfection. For fans, however, this could mean delaying the final season, possibly until 2019! That seems SO far away!
When asked by EW if they season could air in 2018 or even 2019 depending on their needs, Bloys replied:
“Yeah. They have to write the episodes and figure out the production schedule. We’ll have a better sense of that once they get further into the writing.”
As the interview continues, Bloys does confirming that the reason for any delay would be in order for them to make sure the final season does the rest of the series justice. There had been push to even complete the final season of Game of Thrones by doing one massive film instead of separate episodes, giving the series ending a cinematic feel. Of this, Bloys said:
“One of the hallmarks of the show has been how cinematic is it. The show has proven that TV is every bit as impressive and in many cases more so, than film. What they’re doing is monumental. When you see these battles in season 7, and what I imagine season 8 will be, it’s a big, big show. We’ve done a lot of great shows, but this one combines the complex characters we love with a huge cinematic scope. I think this is the first show to prove that can be done — and we’re the first people to pay for it.”
Bloys also commented on the now five prequel series’ that are currently being developed. He assured fans that, first and foremost, season 7 and 8 are their priority, before moving full steam ahead on any prequel plans:
“I want to put the prequels in context. It should go without saying I love having a show with this much intense interest around it. Even the smallest bit of information is a big deal and I appreciate that. But I wanted to make sure fans know this is a really embryonic process. I haven’t even seen outlines. In the press at large, everybody said, ‘there are four spinoffs’ and they assume that means each one is happening and we’re going to have a new Game of Thrones show per quarter. That’s not what’s going on. The idea is not to do four shows. The bar set by [Benioff and Weiss] is so high that my hope is to get one show that lives up to it. Also, this is a long-term plan. Our No. 1 goal is the seventh season this summer and getting the eighth season written and aired.”
So, while we now know that the final season may be significantly delayed, it seems like a small price to pay in order to get an ending that both the series, and the fans, deserve. We’re not thrilled about it but, we accept it.
What do you think about season 8 of Game of Thrones possibly being delayed until 2019? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
A karaoke obsessed, craft beer enthusiast and lover of all things pop culture, Denise enjoys all facets of entertainment from Broadway to box office blockbusters. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, concerts (lots and lots of concerts), volunteering, reading and playing with her rescue kitten, Samantha (who rescued who, right?).
