Game of Thrones is taking a year off, US cable network HBO announced on Thursday, confirming the widely-held understanding that one of history’s most popular shows would not wrap until 2019.
HBO did not specify when exactly the eighth and final series will debut but, regardless of the time of year, it will be the longest wait ever for fans desperate to know which character ends up on the coveted Iron Throne.
The news was largely welcomed by the entertainment press, with critics satisfied that the lay-off would mean a higher-quality final season.
Reports first began circulating in summer 2017 that Game of Thrones might skip 2018 and Sophie Turner, one of its stars, revealed in a recent interview she didn’t expect the series to return this year.