HBO Programming Chief Responds To Petition Demanding “Game Of Thrones” Season 8 Redo:  “It Wasn’t Something We Seriously Considered”

The Chief of Programming over at HBO is politely but sternly telling #GameofThrones fans another season 8 ain’t gone happen.

The last season of #GOT was not received well by fans. Many called the writers lazy, saying the season was rushed, while some flat out just didn’t like how it ended. Those sentiments were greatly shared amongst the show’s enormous fan based, and the outcry led to a petition, which called for the series’ production crew to redo the eighth season.

The petition gained the attention of HBO programming chief Casey Bloys, who said he considered the public outcries to be “enthusiasm and passion for the show” at the network’s TCA summer press tour event, but admitted that a remake “wasn’t something that we seriously considered.”

“There are very, very few downsides to having a hugely popular show, but one I can think of is when you try to end it, many people have big opinions on how it should end,” Bloys said, per Variety. “The petition shows a lot of enthusiasm and passion for the show, but it wasn’t something that we seriously considered.” 

Despite the backlash, Bloys said the network will continue to move forward with the prequel series to GOT, as the pilot has already been shot.  “Shooting has wrapped, it looks really good,” he said. “The cast was amazing; Jane (Goldman) and SJ (Clarkson) are busy in the edit bay.”

While it was a hard breakup between the show and its fans, the multiple award-winning series already has 32 Emmy nominations for this year’s award show. GOT has now beat out “NYPD Blue” for the most nominations received by a show in a single year.