After the end of Game of Thrones, fans have been left wondering about the rushed ending, especially with so many stories still to be told from A Song of Ice and Fire. In a 2018 interview with Variety, George R.R. Martin reflected on the decision to end the show in just eight seasons, despite the potential for more. While the final seasons of the show received mixed reactions, this interview sheds light on why it happened and the impact it has had on the world of Westeros.
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Why did Game of Thrones end early?
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When asked why the series ended early, Martin jokingly pointed out that the decision was not his, but that of David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, the showrunners. He said that the interviewer should ask them, as it was clearly their call. But he went on to explain that the decision to end at eight seasons was ultimately driven by their desire to move on. Martin explained:
“We could have gone to eleven, twelve, thirteen seasons, but they, I guess, wanted a life. If you’ve read my novels, you know there was enough material for more seasons, so they made certain cuts. But that’s fine; we have five other shows, five prequels and development based on other periods in Westeros history—some just a hundred years before Game of Thrones, some five thousand years before—and I’m working on other projects.”
As Martin mentions, there was enough material to extend the show for several more seasons. However, the decision to cut it short was made, and the show wrapped up in eight seasons. While some aspects of the story were left unexplored, Martin acknowledged that there are still many more stories to tell from Westeros, including the prequels currently in production. These shows are diving deeper into the history of the world, with titles like House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and others being developed to expand the universe even further.
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The real reason Game of Thrones ended early
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images
So, ultimately, whose decision was it to end the show early? Martin reveals that Benioff and Weiss had been talking about wrapping up the show after seven seasons for years, but they were convinced to extend it to eight seasons. He noted that he had suggested ten seasons, but in the end, the showrunners made the final decision to end it sooner. Martin shared:
“David and Dan have been saying for about five years that seven seasons was all they would go, and we got them to eight, but no more. Five years ago, they were saying seven seasons while I said ten, and they won because they’re the ones working on it.”
This shows that Martin, while deeply involved in the worldbuilding, didn’t have the final say in the show’s length. Benioff and Weiss, with their vision for how they wanted to bring the story to a close, were the ones who set the tone for the show’s early end. It’s clear that while there were discussions, the creators were determined to wrap things up in fewer seasons than Martin had originally anticipated.
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What’s next for Westeros?
Credits: Darryl Adelaar
When asked if he would like to see any characters from Game of Thrones appear in the sequels, Martin responded by stating that he was committed to the prequels currently being developed. He mentioned that the actors had been incredible but were eager to take on new roles and that the story had come to an end as intended. Martin added:
“No, I’m committed to these prequels. I think this story ends when it ends, and I know all the actors, as great as they are, are anxious to play other roles. They don’t want to spend their lives playing one role, and that’s fine; we had such an amazing cast.”
Though there was much discussion around the idea of a Jon Snow spinoff, titled Snow, starring Kit Harington, the project has remained in development limbo, with no further news of its progress. HBO is currently focusing on the development of the various prequels and spinoffs that will explore different periods in Westeros’ history. While Jon Snow’s story may not continue in a spinoff for now, other parts of the world, including the early history of the Targaryens and more, will continue to unfold.
In conclusion, while the early end of Game of Thrones may have been disappointing for fans who wanted to see more of Martin’s world on screen, the upcoming prequels provide a fresh opportunity to explore new stories. With more content coming to television, there’s still plenty of Westeros left to explore—and who knows, perhaps in the future, we’ll see A Song of Ice and Fire adapted again in a way that’s even more faithful to the books.
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