Why This Game of Thrones Actress Is Pumped for the Show's End
Can't get enough Game of Thrones? They're waiting for you. [SOUND] [APPLAUSE] Well, apparently neither can HBO's programming president Michael Lombardo. Lombardo told reporters that he thinks Game of Thrones will run for eight seasons, and he would be willing to do more if showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are on board. That's actually a season beyond what Benioff and Weiss said they were shooting for last year. But thanks to the show's massive success, it seems HBO is all about Game of Thrones right now. 20 million people apparently tuned into the show last season, and the audience continues to grow. Or aren't we allowed our history? Lombardo said he would even be interested in a prequel series if he could get Benioff and Weiss on board. Saying, 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. But there don't seem to be any plans in motion right now. He said the show runners are currently focused on figuring out the remaining seasons of their current show. And, of course, since he was talking about Game of Thrones, he had to touch on whether John Snow is actually dead. "Dead is dead is dead." Lombardo said, which is starting to feel like a company line at this time. One of the show's directors responded the same way earlier this month>>. John Snow is deader than dead.>> However, no one seems convinces. Maybe, instead, everyone should be asking if John Snow will stay dead.
As we sit in the offseason of Game of Thrones and prepare ourselves as best we can for the show's final season (We're not ready!), not everyone is missing the show as much as rabid fans. Game of Thrones cast members aren't necessarily sad about it. Some, like Maisie Williams, are even looking forward to it.
The 20-year-old actress has been playing Arya Stark since she was 14, and she's ready for something new once the HBO show finally wraps after season eight.
"I'm really excited for Game of Thrones to finish and there's going to be time for me to do whatever I want," she told BBC Newsbeat. "That's just incredibly exciting and it will be nice to pick roles that I want to do."
The newfound flexibility does sound appealing, even if her enthusiasm over the series ending might surprise fans.
"I can show the world what sort of actress I want to be and shape my career a little bit," she explained. "On one hand it's really nerve-wracking to know that I won't have that support blanket and safety net, but on the other hand I'm free."
So what's in store in Williams's future? Aside from the production company she started (pretty impressive), it sounds like we can expect more movies.
"I'd love to do a British independent film, I'd love to make it and I'd love to be in it. There are a couple of directors that I'd love to work with—Dexter Fletcher being one."
The future looks bright for the star, and if you're missing her on your TV, you can catch her in the X-Men spinoff The New Mutants, which hits theaters April 2018.