Maisie Williams finally reveals exactly when 'Game of Thrones' Season 8 will air
The countdown starts now
In an ordinary year, we’d be but a few short months away from a new season of Game of Thrones. Unfortunately, this is no ordinary year.
We’re currently suffering through our very own long winter, as we wait for the final ever season of the monster hit show.
A few weeks ago, Sophie Turner conformed what we all already knew - that this would be the first year since 2010 without any new episodes, with Season 8 airing in 2019 - but now her on-screen sister, Maisie Williams, has shed more light on exactly when we can expect to see Arya, Sansa and co. back on our screens.
The answer? Next April. That means Game of Thrones is returning to its original air time, after switching to summer last year to allow time to do more filming during the snowy winter months, necessary for the shifting seasons in Westeros.
Williams said in an interview: “We wrap in December and we air our first episode in April [2019].
“That’s a four-month turnaround for these huge episodes. There’s a lot that goes into the final edit. You would not want to rush this season at all. We owe it to our audience and our fans to really do this final season to the best of our abilities.”
Arya and Brienne spar at Winterfell during Season 7
There will be just six episodes in Game of Thrones’ final season, but those episodes are expected to be between 70 and 90 minutes each, meaning it’s almost like six films-worth of content.
On her hopes for Arya from the final season, Williams added: “I’ve always said I wanted her to find peace. The things that have been driving her through her story have been very bitter and twisted and aggressive.
“I would love for Arya to find her true self again and let go of this anger and revenge that’s accompanied her on this journey. I’d love for her to be happy.”
Details surrounding Season 8 have so far been kept tightly under wraps, following the semi-disastrous Season 7 script and episode leaks for HBO. I say semi-disastrous, it didn’t stop the show from pulling in gigantic viewing figures, with most fans deciding to avoid the spoilers.
What we do have is a little bit of casting news, suggesting we will definitely see the Golden Company sail over from Essos, and that the Freys might not be as gone as we previously thought.
And we also know that Kit Harington cried when he read the end of the script. If he’s crying, then what chance is there for the rest of us?
(Images: HBO)
