HBO is being incredible sardonic in a new press release about the return of Game of Thrones. "Your readers may be interested to know," it begins, which is really the biggest possible understatement. The network is confirming what Sophie Turner spilled the beans on last month, which is that Game of Thrones' six-episode eighth and final season will premiere in 2019.

The TV night will be dark and full of terrors until then, but HBO also revealed that directors for the new season include David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, David Nutter and Miguel Sapochnik. Writers for Season 8 will also include Benioff & Weiss, Bryan Cogman and Dave Hill. That's all pretty standard, and should feel familiar to long-time viewers. And with such a short episode order taking that long to produce, I expect each episode to be to the level of Season 7's "The Spoils of War." I mean, there is an ice dragon in play now.

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Image via HBO

This past summer at the TCA press tour, HBO President Casey Bloys said “It’s a big season. They’re trying to get a sense of how long it’s going to take them to shoot this.” Clearly, awhile.

What we still do not know is when exactly in 2019 the series will arrive. Traditionally Game of Thrones has aired in the springtime, but it moved farther into summer this in 2017. Anything is possible, including the idea that their Watchman series, Game of Thrones, and Westworld could all air in 2019. Maybe.

For more on Game of Thrones, check out our recent coverage below:

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Image via HBO
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Image via HBO
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Image via HBO