Game of Thrones showrunners confirm they wanted a trilogy of movies to end the series – but HBO didn't

Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have confirmed that they wanted the hit fantasy show to end with a theatrical film trilogy.

Series author George R.R. Martin said back in 2020 that the showrunners planned on a trilogy to close out the show following season 7, but ultimately the movies never happened.

Speaking to WSJ Magazine, the showrunners revealed that they pitched a trilogy of movies to be released theatrically to HBO, instead of seasons 7 and 8. Both of those seasons were shortened, consisting of 13 episodes combined, while previous seasons consisted of 10 episodes each.

According to Benioff, the network reminded them that they were making a show for "Home Box Office," and not, Weiss said, "Away Box Office."

One of the most common criticisms of the much maligned Game of Thrones season 8 is that it was too rushed – it's uncertain whether a trilogy of movies would've made a difference, however, considering their combined runtime probably would've worked out shorter than seasons 7 and 8 (which featured some extra-long episodes).

The Game of Thrones universe soon continues with House of the Dragon season 2, which is set to debut this summer. The next season will be shorter, consisting of eight episodes, and will depict the next chapter in the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.

Next up for Benioff and Weiss, meanwhile, is an adaptation of sci-fi novel The Three Body Problem for Netflix, which arrives this March 21. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming new TV shows worth getting excited about.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.