The Game of Thrones season 8 premiere date debate begins now
Well, here’s the hard thing about answering that question: At the moment, not even HBO knows when they are bringing the show back. Production on the final six episodes begins later this fall, and it will continue into early 2018. This show has a lengthy post-production process, and when you consider that plus the possibility of longer episodes next season, that means even more work in the edit bay. It’s actually possible that season 8, despite having one fewer episode, may actually be longer in total length than season 7. Executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have a lot of stuff that they need to check off the list between now and when the series actually has its big finale.
Early indications are that the premiere date for season 8 could be in late 2018, or as early as 2019. One thing that does feel pretty agreed-upon now is that you probably will not be getting the final episodes of the series in the summer of 2018. There may not be enough time to have them ready.
As for one of the biggest things that we expect to see in this final season, it is a conclusion that may satisfy some and frustrate others. We’ve never got the impression that the goal of Game of Thrones is to depress everyone from here to eternity, but this is a show that will not just give a happy ending for the sake of giving one. It’s a show that is going to make its characters work for everything that they receive in the way of happiness. Some are going to die in their ultimate pursuit of it.
Will the series finale really be the end of the series?
Yes and no. While there are no plans for a season 9 of Game of Thrones, HBO is already working with several established writers on plans for a spin-off that would focus on an era prior to the events of the show. This allows them to still dive into some material from George R.R. Martin without changing the canon of the series and what the intended ending is. If a spin-off does get greenlit, you will still be waiting for a long time in order to check it out. The last that we heard was that there are no plans to air another version of the franchise until at least a year after the series finale of Game of Thrones proper. Depending on just how long it takes to develop a series these days, it could be even longer.
HBO, given their past trajectory, will likely announce their Game of Thrones season 8 premiere date four or five months before the show comes back on the air. We’ll have more news along the way.
For now, we just want to know from you: When do you want the final episodes to come on the air? Be sure to share in the comments! (Photo: HBO.)