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Home / Entertainment

The news no Game of Thrones fan will want to hear

NZ Herald
29 Jun, 2016 06:30 AM3 mins to read

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'It's two more seasons we're talking about,' Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and DB Weiss have revealed.

'It's two more seasons we're talking about,' Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and DB Weiss have revealed.

Game of Thrones creators have confirmed their favourite show is coming to an end sooner than a lot of fans would like.

Following the season six finale showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss revealed there will only be two more seasons of the beloved HBO show - and they'll be shorter seasons than normal.

"It's two more seasons we're talking about," Benioff told Deadline. "From pretty close to the beginning, we talked about doing this in 70-75 hours, and that's what we'll end up with. Call it 73 for now."

'We're trying to tell one cohesive story with a beginning, middle, and end,' says Thrones creator David Benioff.
'We're trying to tell one cohesive story with a beginning, middle, and end,' says Thrones creator David Benioff.

This adds further fuel to rumours that season seven will feature seven episodes and season eight will only have six, making them much shorter than the 10-episode seasons fans have become used to.

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Each episode reportedly costs more than $10 million to make.

Read more:
• Thrones' biggest secret has finally been exposed
• I feel much better after giving up Game of Thrones

Benioff insists that this is what they've been planning for a while, adding: "It's not just trying not to outstay your welcome.

"We're trying to tell one cohesive story with a beginning, middle and end. We've known the end for quite some time and we're hurtling towards it."

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He also suggested they won't pander to fans who aren't happy with the news.

"It's not supposed to be an ongoing show," he said. "We wanted it to be one giant story, without padding it out to add an extra 10 hours, or because people are still watching it.

"We wanted to something where, if people watched it end to end, it would make sense as one continuous story.

"We're definitely heading into the end game now."

Discover more

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Game of Thrones' explosive finale

27 Jun 06:30 PM
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Thrones' biggest secret finally exposed

28 Jun 10:00 AM
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Why I quit Game of Thrones

29 Jun 03:45 AM
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Why Thrones actor auditioned with a black eye

29 Jun 05:15 AM

Read more:
• That Game of Thrones flashback explained
• Game of Thrones' The Winds of Winter review: I see dead people

It's not just Thrones fans who are disappointed that the end is near. HBO programming president Michael Lombardo said earlier this year that, "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."

'We're definitely heading into the end game now.'
'We're definitely heading into the end game now.'

George RR Martin, who wrote the books that Game of Thrones is based on, won't be pleased with the idea either. In 2014 he said that he wished each season was 13-episodes long so that smaller scenes that were cut could be included to "make the story deeper and richer".

Fans of Thrones have already started to show their disapproval on Twitter:

How cruel is it that I have to wait an entire year to watch a new season of Game of Thrones and it's going to be SHORTER? 😤

— fionn macghoul (@__nnif) June 27, 2016

So pumped for Game of Thrones today... And then bummed that it's another year for a shorter season :(

— Dat Dragons Dude (@dragonsfan1988) June 26, 2016

Mom: Game of Thrones is going to have a shorter season next year (sends article link)
Me: I don't want to talk about it.

The denial is real

— Megan (@Meg_Elizabethh_) June 23, 2016

Game of Thrones Seasons 7 and 8 could be shorter than previous seasons? I pray to the old Gods and the new that this isn't true.

— Aaron (@AaronJNS) June 23, 2016
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