The eighth and final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones will no doubt go down in history for many reasons.
Not only was it a wildly ambitious curtain call for the network’s Song of Ice and Fire, but Thrones season 8 wound up costing $80 million when accounting for actor salaries, visual effects, and all those extras who spent their nights braving the bitter-cold winds of Northern Ireland for The Battle of Winterfell.
Its success didn’t go unnoticed, either; two weeks ago, Game of Thrones racked up a record 32 Emmy nominations, including nods for Gwendoline Christie, Lena Headey, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams and Peter Dinklage, the latter of whom has already won three gongs for his outstanding performance as Tyrion Lannister.
So make no mistake, season 8 has earned its credentials for acting and production work, but there are still those who believe the writing and overall plot left much to be desired. Casey Bloys, on the other hand, is not convinced. Earlier this week, the HBO programming chief told Deadline that backlash “comes with the territory.”
“There are very are few downsides to having an immensely popular show. but one that I can think of is when you try to end it,” the premium cabler’s programming chief said today during the TCA summer press tour about the backlash to the record-breaking series and online petitions to have it redone. “That just comes with the territory. Thirty-two Emmy nominations is nice validation.”
Asked straight-up about the fan petition calling on the Powers That Be to bankroll a season do-over, Bloys admitted that it “wasn’t something we seriously considered.” That online petition was signed by more than 3 million fans, though it seems their complaints are falling on deaf ears – or they’re being funneled into an echo chamber, whichever way you want to look at it.
Up next for the Game of Thrones franchise is the Blood Moon prequel series currently lensing across parts of Belfast. Per George R.R. Martin, it’ll feature White Walkers and Starks, and that’s about all we know at this early, early stage.