Our Watch Isn't Over Just Yet: 'Game Of Thrones' Might Have Extra Long Episodes In Season 8

We have already been teased a bittersweet ending to HBO's Game of Thrones, and with a show that isn't exactly known for its joyous storylines, expect an even more macabre storyline to unfold over its final two seasons. However, away from the moping face of Jon Snow, we have some particularly good news for Thrones fans. Taking a knife to the gut, we were shocked to learn that the expected run of 10 episodes would be cut down to just six for Season 8, giving die-hard viewers the worst day of our lives since Catelyn and Robb RSVP'd to the Red Wedding. However, there could be news from Winterfell to help defrost our frozen hearts.

What do we say to the God of death?

Speaking at Con of Thrones in Nashville, the show's sound designer, Paula Fairfield, offered a glimmer of hope among the horde of White Walkers. Deadline picked up the news and reported that we could be getting some supersized episodes in the final run. While Season 7's episodes will remain around their usual runtime — bar the 82-minute season finale — Season 8 could clock in at 80 minutes per episode.

Before we send out the ravens with the good news, perhaps we should take the story with a pinch of salt. Season 7 is yet to even grace our screens, and with Season 8 possibly pushed to 2019, showrunner #DavidBenioff and #DBWeiss are still in the early stages of wrapping their fantasy epic. However, with Fairfield close to production, it would seem out of sorts for her to make such a comment without being able to back it up.

If Season 8 is upping its runtime, this is something of a backtrack on earlier reports that runtimes would remain roughly the same across the board. But, if we have longer episodes, wouldn't it make sense to just make more of them? However, with Season 7 originally pitched as a "filler season," Benioff and Weiss admitted that their plans for the penultimate season have changed drastically to now focus on a march to war.

By deciding to pick up the pace, perhaps the showrunners have realized there really is too much of Westeros to pack into the abridged Season 8. Also, remember that an extended runtime for episodes isn't out of the ordinary for the likes of The Walking Dead, while other shows like Black Mirror and Sherlock are almost exclusively around 90 minutes in length. Given the epic scale of #HBO's show, giving us a Hollywood blockbuster feel each week could certainly bring in winter with a warm welcome. With only 13 episodes left, the end of the baker's dozen is confirmed to 100% be the final dragon flight for the likes of Daenerys Targaryen, so it is only right that we do #GeorgeRRMartin's story justice. With some major info for Game of Thrones expected at Comic-Con 2017, and even with the approach of frozen zombies, expect the race for the Iron Throne to heat up before it cools down!

(Source: Deadline)