HBO's president of programming had just dropped a bombshell: "Game of Thrones" is ending, but not in the next season or the season after next. The fantasy drama is set to extend until season eight. The show creators are in fact willing to do a prequel, a sequel, or anything that suits the story, a spin-off maybe.
Speaking at a press conference held by the Television Critics Association or TCA, HBO's Michael Lombardo said that ending the fantasy drama by its seventh season is already out of the question. Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss could actually be talked into extending the fantasy series for another two years, Lombardo said.
"The question is how much beyond seven are we going to do. [Benioff and Weiss] feel like there's two more years after six. I would always love for them to change their minds," Lombardo told the press as quoted by The Los Angeles Times.
Lombardo is personally keen into bringing the story to anywhere that David and Dan would want to take it.
"It really would depend fully on what they want to do.... There's enormous storytelling to be mined in a prequel. We haven't had any conversations," Lombardo said.
Lombardo also addressed criticisms saying that "Game of Thrones" needed restraint when it comes to violent and bloody scenes. One such violent scene that earned the ire of critics is the death of a 7-year-old character in season one. Lombardo said that while he cannot speak on behalf of all the fans of the show, he thinks that the audience generally has found no vulgarity that has gotten out of line in the series.
"I can't speak to any single person's particular taste ... I think the show is phenomenal. It hit 20 million viewers this year," Lombardo said as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
Lombardo only has nice words for David and Dan.
"I'll be honest with you, I think there are no two showrunners who are more careful about not overstepping what they think the line is - and everyone has their own line, I understand - but doing things that are critical for the storytelling and I support them fully artistically," he said.
Lombardo has bluntly shutdown conspiracies that Jon Snow will eventually come back to life. The suspicion heightened when actor Kit Harrington was spotted filming in Belfast.
Asked if Jon Snow will resurrect for the next season, Lombardo said, "Dead is dead is dead is dead. He be dead. Everything I've seen and heard and read, Jon Snow is indeed dead."
