With the debut of "Game of Thrones' season five fast approaching, there have been various speculations about possibilities for the show's next few seasons.
George R.R. Martin, creator of the "A Song of Ice and Fire' book series on which the HBO fantasy drama series is based, has recently spoken up about such opportunities.
"I allowed that ten years sounded fine to me. I continue to hear similar sentiments from HBO every time I have a meeting with them, be it in LA or New York," Martin wrote on his blog last Thursday.
According to the award-winning novelist, HBO executives spoke to him the day after season two's second episode aired, focusing on how "Game of Thrones' could possibly run for ten years.
Executive producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss stated that they would prefer to have the series play on for seven seasons.
While "Game of Thrones' season five will premiere on April 12, HBO has already ordered a sixth season. Meanwhile, cast members have reportedly been signed on until season seven. According to Martin, all speculations will be confirmed by the time the sixth season arrives.
"Around the time that the second episode of season six is showing, HBO will order season seven, we hope... or maybe, just maybe, they will order seasons seven AND eight," wrote Martin.
However, even if HBO orders the seventh season, this will not determine whether the series will be ending during such time.
"It could just represent a return to the original policy of committing to only one season at a time," Martin explained.
The novelist also addressed rumors that "Game of Thrones' will be given an ending with a theatrically released movie (or movies). The show has already been acknowledged as the first TV series to be screened on IMAX this year, showing the last two episodes of season four.
"Sure, I love the idea. Why not? What fantasist would not love the idea of going out with an epic hundred million feature film?" Martin wrote. "And the recent success of the IMAX experience shows that the audience is there for such a movie. If we build it, they will come. But will we build it? I have no bloody idea."
With Martin currently writing the sixth book in the "ASOIAF' series, he has expressed his stronger belief in coming up with an impressive story regardless of the number of season created or possible films to be developed.
"Seven seasons, ten seasons, with or without one or two feature films... in the end, all that matters is that we tell a great story, with a great end," Martin wrote.