Game of Thrones is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most successful television shows of all time. The hit fantasy series – based on the novel series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin – follows the battles, trials and tribulations of warring families and crumbling alliances in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. Throughout the years it’s been on air to-date, the shocking and often violent twists and turns have kept the world talking, but now the end is in sight.
The series’ seventh season will be coming to viewers in the summer, and will for the first time be a season consisting of just seven episodes; three less than the regular 10. Rumored to have just 13 episodes in total left over, there are already talks of a Game of Thrones spinoff series in the form of a prequel or different story entirely, with HBO likely looking to secure the Thrones property for the foreseeable future; despite the conclusion of the original series scheduled for 2018, that is.
Speaking to TimeOut, Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams (who plays Arya Stark) replied bluntly and with a chuckle when asked what viewers should expect from the seventh season, replying: “A huge cliffhanger.” She added:
“There are rumors, that if you make it from season one to season eight there’s a tattoo that we all [the cast] get. We’re all waiting to see if we do make it. I was lucky enough to be in season one, even the pilot episode. If I do make it to season eight I will get it. It would be rude not to!”
“It’s [the show] just kind of tumbling now. We’ve come to the climax and it’s rolling down to the end. It’s exciting. I really felt like at the end of last season everything was set up for how it was going to end. Every character came to a little junction in their lives. Now we’re all going to crash down together to however this show ends.”
The comments come after Williams slammed those who are working hard to leak the plot of the seventh season before it airs ‘childish’. If Williams is to be believed at face value, her comments could mean Game of Thrones fans are going to face a frustrating final episode of season seven, much like The Walking Dead viewers were delivered when the apocalyptic zombie show wrapped up its sixth season.
This could be a major mistake by the Game of Thrones crew. Following The Walking Dead’s massive season six cliffhanger, fans revolted against the show, setting up online petitions and demanding answers ahead of the season seven premiere. The cliffhanger may even have driven many fans away from the series entirely, as news broke in December that the series was facing a four-year ratings low. Could the same happen with Thrones?
In saying that, with just one season to go when seven wraps up, there has to be a huge hook to ensure the millions of viewers that tune in each year make it all the way through to the series finale. Slamming those watching with a massive cliffhanger will definitely ensure that legions of fans make their way back to HBO in 2018.
NEXT: A Game of Thrones TV Spinoff Should Explore the First Men
Game of Thrones season 7 airs on HBO this summer. Stick with Screen Rant for all the latest updates.
Source: TimeOut