'Game of Thrones' season 7 renewal and possibly season 8, ahead of season 6 premiere
"Game of Thrones" diehards rejoice: the show has been renewed for another season even as this year's season six is to premiere Sunday. A season eight has even been speculated on, so things are definitely looking up for fans of this George R.R. Martin adaptation.
A formal announcement is expected soon as Michael Lombardo, HBO's president of programming told a small group of reporters at the winter press tour of the Television Critics Association that the network is near a deal for a two-season renewal of the Emmy-award-winning show. There was no mention though if that would constitute the end to the series.
If the deal goes through, it would be the second time for this fantasy drama. A two-season renewal had been concluded in 2014 for the past season and the upcoming one.
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The show's cast were appraised of the renewal when they were signed on for a next season renewal with sizable pay raises. Those who were signed on in 2014 were engaged only until the sixth season, so, for the seventh season option, HBO's pay raise had covered seasons five, six, and the highly likely seventh. This made the show's actors the highest-paid among those in cable television.
It will not be surprising if the two-season formal announcement comes pretty soon, with the show being the longest-running, not to mention the most-watched, series presently on the HBO network.
But the seventh is as good as in the bag, especially when the official Twitter page recently announced the 2017 renewal. Reports have also indicated that the next seasons of the series may have fewer episodes than the 10 which have been customary for the past seasons because the showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff were considering shorter seasons.
As it stands, season six will open with Jon Snow seemingly dead from the mutiny in season five, Tyrion Lannister in charge in Meereen, and Cersei shamed but with the reanimated Mountain at her bidding. Daenerys Targaryen has been exiled in Dothraki while Jaime Lannister was seen last holding dying Myrcella in his arms. The fate of the Stark sisters is not any better with Sansa having leapt from the high wall and perhaps being pursued as she fled with Theon. Arya was last in Braavos, blind as a price for executing Meryn Trant.
As to the future of these characters as well as the others still surviving the show, Sunday's premiere for season six will air at 10 p.m. on HBO.
