"Game of Thrones" fans have much to be excited about -- show's execs revealed at the Television Critics Association Press Tour on Thursday that there is likely to be an additional season in the works and possibly a prequel.
The hit HBO series, which is based on the adaptations of George R. R. Martin's fantasy novels, "A Song of Ice and Fire," is expecting to develop an eighth season, or at least that is what the HBO's programming president, Michael Lombardo, expressed during the TCA Tour.
According Entertainment Weekly, concerning the possibility of an eighth season, Lombardo said that "Seven-seasons-and-out has never been the [internal] conversation" and posed probably the most important question in the conversation: "How much beyond seven are we going to do? Obviously we're shooting six now, hopefully discussing seven."
"[Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss are] feel like there's two more years after six," he continued. "I would always love for them to change their minds, but that's what we're looking at right now."
But could there be a prequel in order, like so many other successful shows? Fear "The Walking Dead" -- the companion series to the popular action-packed zombie television show will premiere in August and is expecting to do well.
"I would be open to anything that Dan and David wanted to do-about 'Game of Thrones,' or any subject matter," Lombardo said on the topic.
"It really would depend fully on what they wanted to do. I think you're right, there's enormous storytelling to be mined in a prequel, if George and Dan and David decide they want to tackle that," he said. "At this point, all the focus is on the next few years of the show. We haven't had any conversations about that at this point."
The president also discussed the violent nature of the show, advising, "This show has had violence from the first episode. I can't speak to any single person's particular taste, but I think the show is phenomenal."
Lombardo then reminded critics that the show is wildly successful, and executives are careful not to overstep any boundaries and change that dynamic.
"[Game of Thrones] went to 20 million viewers this year, it went up over 1 million viewers from the prior season," he added. "There are no two showrunners who are more careful about now overstepping what they think the line is-and everybody has their own line. [What they show] is critical to the storytelling."
Season 6 is currently being filmed. In the meantime, fans can enjoy season 5, which will be available on DVD next month.