Game of thrones showrunners considering shortened final seasons

If Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss get their way, there will be fewer episodes produced in the beloved HBO series' final two seasons.

In a chat with Variety, Benioff and Weiss revealed their reasons for wanting to produce less than the series' usual 10 episodes per season for the homestretch.

“I think we’re down to our final 13 episodes after this season. We’re heading into the final lap,” Benioff told the trade. “That’s the guess, though nothing is yet set in stone, but that’s what we’re looking at.”

As Variety puts it, "Weiss and Benioff said they can’t continue to produce 10 episodes of the show in the show’s usual 12- or 14-month time frame. 'It’s crossing out of a television schedule into more of a mid-range movie schedule,' Weiss said."

HBO programming president Michael Lombardo confirmed there are ongoing discussions about shortened seasons, but added that no deal has been sealed yet for that. “We’re still in conversations," said Lombardo.

Production on Season 7 begins in July; the series is expected to conclude with Season 8 where fans will finally learn who wins the Iron Throne.