Is season 8 and beyond actually confirmed by anyone important?

[Ben H'gahr]

Interesting to see you guys speculate. Back let's rather look at the facts before some people hype themselves into coma.

8 seasons - that's what's already decided on(as of right now). This is the bare minimum that will be on TV. So three more seasons (S6, S7, S8) for sure. Meet the players:

D&D: They are burnt out, they will (as of right now) definitely drop out after S8 - according to some interviews. They feel that "there ain't much story left" for more seasons. These two lads are the only two individuals who (i) know the broad ending of the saga [besides GRRM] and (ii) have the authority to decide what parts of the saga are going to be on the show as well as (iii) to decide in which fashion (i.e. with which speed) they are going to tell the story. Thus D&D and D&D only have the capacity to make such statements like there "not being much story left", no matter if fan X thinks "but they still have to do this and that and here and there and this is why there must be not less than so and so many seasons"

HBO: They wants to extend GOT longer, until ... it doesn't make money anymore I guess. But they expressed interest in going beyond 8 seasons because GOT is a cash cow. They are totally not cool with a movie or two movies b/c (surprise, surprise) they are a TV channel that makes $$$ from subscriptions. Making movies for the cinema ain't there business and they make TV for their subscribesr

GRRM: He wants what makes him more rich and famous and adds more glory to his opus. Thus he'd be cool with more than 8 seasons and also w/an epic movie-finale. But he has no authority on making decisions in that matter. He cannot say "But I want 10 seasons and two movies" and force HBO and D&D to follow his wishes. 

Options:

1) Movies are highly unlikely.

2) GOT ends after eight seasons.

3) GOT extends beyond eight seasons, but with D&D being replaced (or their involvement scaled down).

None of this comes out of my humble mind, I am merely stating what I read in interviews with D&D, statements by HBO officials and GRRM's blog. I expect to be fiercely attacked for these statements due to the general disregard for basic logic and disregard for facts on this forum. To those I say this and recommend that you follow the news on ASOIF and maybe read on GRRM's blog once in a while instead of wildly speculating on outdated news such as a GOT-movie.

But no matter how much you will argue, you will be observing over the next three years that events will unfold along the lines as predicted above : D&D will drop (and possibly be replaced), there won't be a movie and most likely in a few years (with TWOW possibly not being out and ADOS most certainly not) the ending of ASOIF [better: an adaption of if] will be known via the show.

 

 

 

[Guest]

Who owns the video rights to Westeros?  GRRM signed them over as part of the deal, but did they end up with HBO or D&D?

[ummester]

28 minutes ago, Ben H'gahr said:

8 seasons - that's what's already decided on(as of right now). This is the bare minimum that will be on TV. So three more seasons (S6, S7, S8) for sure.

See, try as I might - I can't find confirmation on how many seasons there are.

Yes, HBO wants 8, there are articles about it. D&D want 7, there are articles about that. And GRRM wanted films, there were articles about that. But I don't think anything is set in stone at this point.

GRRMs blog has nothing to do with HBO business decisions, which in turn have nothing to do with how many season D&D stay on for.

This article from IGN just paraphrases what I said and has nothing conclusive:

http://au.ign.com/articles/2016/01/08/hbo-in-talks-to-renew-game-of-thrones-through-season-8

The article of proof linked earlier in the thread no longer exists.

On a HBO site, only season 7 is (mostly) confirmed.

http://hbowatch.com/game-of-thrones-season-seven-mostly-confirmed/

No mention of season 8 there. The reason there is speculation is because there is not a definitive announcement of 8 seasons as you suggest. There is not even a definitive announcement of 7. (It's probably because HBO exes are arguing with D&D about whether to finish in 7 or 8).

If D&D are saying there isn't much story left, then I would think that from a story telling perspective (not financial) it is better to wrap it up. I do understand that finances have more pull than narrative quality in the modern world and that the show could go on for 8 seasons - but everything seems to point towards the issue that doing so will not be good story telling.

[Guest]

Great find, but the story has a lot of legs left and GRRM even says there will be lots of Roberts Rebellion flashbacks

[Lordsteve666]

I suspect strongly that the performance and reception of S6 will determine if S8 and beyond happens. Sure S5 might be considered a winner by the network as it really got people involved but the fans seem to have hated it to varying degrees.

If they can't
a)improve on S5's failings to keep fans interested
or
b)build on the popularity of the show as a whole
then it's not gonna be good. I don't want it to slow die a painful death as reader loose interest and figures drop. If they don't keep focused then it'll show easily, I think we saw that creep in with S5 a bit (i.e. Dorne).

I personally think there's plenty of material left to work with. If they are going back to the Riverlands this season and we are seeing Balon's death and Oldtown then it shows that they are willing to rearrange some of the current material into a new chronological order. That bodes well I think because it means we still have a huge potential number of unused book plot developments than can be put on screen.
It means anything that's been missed out of the book stuff thus far is fair game and that is very exciting to me at least....could we see things like Aegon brought in later?

[Guest]

Season 5 was way up over prior seasons, and I agree it was one of the weaker seasons.  Season 6 looks to be all out crazy so I expect yet higher ratings, but time will tell.

Here are season by season ratings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Game_of_Thrones_episodes#Ratings

Also, remember they did not confirm season 6 until after season 5, episode 1. So, maybe they confirm through some season this year.

[The Arthur Smith]

If S6 and S7 ends with a higher rating than the previous, then there will definitely be S8, though alternately D&D can make the S8 based on D&E series.

[Dragon in the North]

3 hours ago, GrapefruitPerrier said:

Also, remember they did not confirm season 6 until after season 5, episode 1. So, maybe they confirm through some season this year.

Actually, they renewed the show for both seasons 5 and 6 at the same time, right after the first episode of season 4.

[Masha]

I am absolutely sure that unless D&D remain in very involved capacity, HBO will end Game of Thrones when D&D decide. HBO big wigs pretty much confirmed that. Most likely will D&D agree to 8th season because there is story left but 9 and 10th season is a stretch. Unless, after HBO begs them of umpteenth time to go for more than 8 seasons, D&D recommend couple of people in their place just to get rid of HBO.

At this point, since GRRM pretty much joked away his comment about possibly finishing ASOIAF if show goes to 10 seasons, I think 8 seasons is confirmed. 

After that HBO can go for D&E story - that would be at least 3  more seasons.

 

[The Knight of Night]

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/30/game-thrones-eight-seasons

[ummester]

8 hours ago, The Knight of Night said:

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/07/30/game-thrones-eight-seasons

Lombardo’s statement doesn’t mean the series is officially renewed for eight seasons – the current order is only through next year – but it’s the next-best thing. 

And the article is out-dated by more recent ones.

It's not decided yet - who knows what they will settle on (though it will probably be 7 if D&D get their way and 8 if HBO gets their way).

That article also mentions a prequel series in the same breath. So, what we may get is GoTs ending in 7 seasons and then season 8 being all about Dunk and Egg (which I still haven't read).

[The Knight of Night]

On 3/15/2016 at 3:13 AM, ummester said:

Lombardo’s statement doesn’t mean the series is officially renewed for eight seasons – the current order is only through next year – but it’s the next-best thing. 

And the article is out-dated by more recent ones.

It's not decided yet - who knows what they will settle on (though it will probably be 7 if D&D get their way and 8 if HBO gets their way).

That article also mentions a prequel series in the same breath. So, what we may get is GoTs ending in 7 seasons and then season 8 being all about Dunk and Egg (which I still haven't read).

Quote

 “The question is: How much beyond seven are we going to do? Obviously we’re shooting six now, hopefully discussing seven. [Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss are] feel like there’s two more years after six. I would always love for them to change their minds, but that’s what we’re looking at right now.”

 

[barneyfife]

ThatS what i mean no HBO excs or Dave or Dan have came out and confirmed an 8th season  or anything beyond 8. 

Im not saying it can't happen but no real proof. 

And to be honest I'm in the minority as I want it to end in 7 . And I'm not 1 of the bashes I really enjoy the show its my favorite tv show. 

So my reason for wanting a shorter series is simply grim won't have winds out till sometime this year at best more likely in 2017. Which means we won't see ados till likely 2021. 

So if they do just 7 seasons I get to see the ending 2017 and not only am i ok with that I'd love it. 

Of coruse I would still read the books when and if there ever finished. 

[Darzin]

So according to this from The New Republic  seasons 7 and 8 will be minis seasons with 13 episodes combined, that seems just about right to me especially if we get some extended episodes like the battle of the black water.   

[Equilibrium]

Lombardo is angling for a extended period of broadcasting GoT for a while now, so it is really probable we won't get rid of GoT anytime soon.

D&D are playing coy, they know they aren't that important, HBO has the rights and GoT material will be produced for a few more years with or without them.

How long current series will run depends on bunch of factors and we are nowhere near the definitive point of no return, yeah D&D can stay true to their vision and wrap it up in 7 seasons, but that is by no means imperative or only possible or logical solution, and idea of D&D having artistic integrity is laughable at best.

I said a few times, show can get 10 seasons easily without getting boring or suffering from decline in quality, as if it was possible to decline any further.

So guy trust everything Lombardo says, he calls the shots and if he wants n+1 more seasons there are high chances he will get them.

[Werthead]

HBO actually have a very strong policy of letting showrunners decide the fate of their show, even if it is making HBO an absolute fortune. They let David Chase end The Sopranos, by far their biggest show (at the time) in 2007 even though they didn't have anything at all lined up to replace it and they'd have been happy going for several more seasons. Chase decided it was time to end the series and they did it.

When Alan Ball left True Blood at the end of Season 5, HBO wanted to finish the show, even though it was their biggest show on-air at the time and was making them a lot of money. Ball himself had to actually go to HBO and tell them that the other writers could step up and continue with his vision. In the end he had to remain a titular producer and advisor to allow HBO to continue with a different showrunner. This was extremely unusual for HBO. The fact that the critical acclaim of the show fell off a cliff after that point and ratings went down only convinced HBO that such a move was not in the best interests of the show, the fans or themselves.

On that basis, Game of Thrones will end when Benioff and Weiss decide it will end. There will be negotiating room with HBO, but HBO won't want to extend the core story on without them. There also isn't an obvious successor: Bryan Cogman is the next most experienced person on the show after D&D, but it's unknown if he has the chops or ability or even the desire to carry on without them. D&D also have a film deal lined up for immediately post-GoT, so likely won't even be able to stay on in an advisory capacity.

What I strongly suspect will happen is that HBO will start looking at organising a spin-off series, maybe based around Dunk & Egg (since they don't have the rights to Robert's Rebellion and GRRM has made it clear he will not sell them to HBO), to take over from GoT a year to eighteen months after GoT ends, to try to maintain momentum. This series could be done on a much smaller budget, with much less stress and with a new - maybe a whole new - production team in place. But the story begun in Season 1 of GoT will end in Season 8 of the series, that much is all but certain.

[kissdbyfire]

@Werthead, I understand it's all highly speculative at this point, but are there any names connected to a possible D&E spin-off?

[Werthead]

1 hour ago, kissdbyfire said:

@Werthead, I understand it's all highly speculative at this point, but are there any names connected to a possible D&E spin-off?

Nope, aside from George probably being involved in an advisory/producer capacity and, depending on where ASoIaF is at that point, maybe writing an episode or two a season. But even that's speculative.

[kissdbyfire]

1 minute ago, Werthead said:

Nope, aside from George probably being involved in an advisory/producer capacity and, depending on where ASoIaF is at that point, maybe writing an episode or two a season. But even that's speculative.

Cheers. And as speculative as I know it all is at this point, can I just say, "YAY"?

[HexMachina]

I thought it was the case that GRRM hadnt sold the rights to D&E? I thought i recalled a blog post from a year or two ago (the one where he floats the names of future stories) in which he said he hadnt sold the rights to Dunk and Egg,but if someone other than HBO were to do it for example they would need to avoid references to Westeros, Targaryens etc. Have I misremembered/misunderstood, or has something changed since then?