‘Game of Thrones’ season 8 renewal coming, but it’s a matter of episodes

If you even had the slightest bit of worry on the future of “Game of Thrones” — though we’re assuming that you don’t — let’s be clear that there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

While at the TCA Winter Press Tour today, HBO programming head Casey Bloys confirmed that there will be a season 8 renewal coming at some point in the next few weeks / months, but for the most part the hangup is a matter of figuring out the precise episode count. For much of the past year, the presumption was that showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss wanted to do six episodes following the seven that air this summer, but it is certainly possible that they are changing that plan — or HBO wants them to. We know that for the network, they would love being able to end with more episodes and of course more ratings. This is their top-rated show of all time! If they could air a whole season about White Walkers doing the Macarena, we’re pretty sure that they would at least consider it. (We kid. Maybe.)

One thing that you really should remember here is that even though season 8 may be the end of “Game of Thrones,” it’s far from the end of the franchise. The network wants to do spin-offs or something else in the universe, even though it’s not entirely clear at present just what they will be. They also haven’t been officially ordered — that may be an announcement comes a year or so down the road when the network has to start to think a little bit more about the idea of facing the end.

Season 7, for those who somehow managed to miss it, is not going to be premiering until the summer. That is a decision that came about due to the need to make the show a little more wintry. Hey, you can’t say “winter is coming” for six years and then not do something to prove that it’s true.

Want some more news when it comes to “Game of Thrones”? Then be sure to head over to the link here! (Photo: HBO.)