Now that there are just seven episodes of Game Of Thrones left, fans of the show are having to prepare themselves for a world without the Lannisters, Starks, Targaryens and Baratheons. It sounds as though viewers are going to have to deal with the end of the hit show sooner than expected, too, because the Game of Thrones season 8 premiere date, or the start of its final season, might arrive in September 2018 rather than early 2019 as previously reported.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s recent remarks has led some to predict that Game Of Thrones is actually moving ahead of schedule, as he has revealed that production on the final season of the hit HBO drama will begin in October. Waldau, who has played Jaime Lannister ever since the first episode of Game Of Thrones, recently discussed the secrecy surrounding the show with Collider.
“I knew what was going to happen for the first three seasons,” Waldau explained. “After that, it’s been a season at a time. You get the scripts a month before we start shooting, or six weeks, and then you know what’s going to happen that season. But, I don’t know what’s going to happen next season. We go back in October, so maybe in the next few weeks, we’ll get the scripts and I’ll find out. I’m very curious.”
But while Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s remarks seem innocent enough, they actually reveal quite a lot. That’s because his confirmation that production will begin in October means that, if Game Of Thrones’ past is to be believed, its eighth season should arrive in September 2018.
Between seasons 2 and 6, Game Of Thrones always began production in July, and needed five months to complete the shoot, which concluded in late November or early December. Then post-production would last another five months, with each season premiering in early April. Things changed slightly for its seventh season, which started production on August 31, 2016, finished in February 2017, and then needed five months for its edit, before premiering in the middle of July.
When you combine the above information with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s comments, it suddenly becomes a distinct possibility that Game Of Thrones season 8 will be ready for air in September 2018. Entertainment Weekly previously alleged that the last batch of Game Of Thrones episodes wouldn’t actually arrive until early 2019. HBO never confirmed that rumor, though, and Waldau’s comments might have just revealed the reason why.
