Creators of the mega-hit TV show Game of Thrones have confirmed season eight will be its last.

In better news for fans, HBO president Casey Bloys also told the Television Critics Association a GoT spin-off series could be in the works.

Bloys told reporters the ratings juggernaut, which just aired its sixth season, would most likely be wrapped up by 2018.

“Yes, they have a very specific plan about the number of seasons they want to do,” he said on Saturday.

Cast members such as Emilia Clarke are starting to branch out in other roles. Photo: AAP

“Believe me, as the new [programming executive] coming in, if I could get them to do more, I would take 10 more seasons.

“But we take their lead on what they think they can do the best version of the show.”

He said season eight would probably include just six episodes, although that number could still change.

The Game of Thrones cast and crew are currently filming season seven of the gory drama, which will reach hungry fans in mid-2017.

Six years in, some of the GoT cast have begun showing interest in branching out beyond the series.

Fan favourite Emilia Clarke, who plays fierce queen Daenerys Targaryen, recently starred in the romantic drama Me Before You, while Kit Harington (Jon Snow) is currently filming the drama The Death And Life of John F. Donovan alongside Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain.

Show could get a new lease of life

Bloys told the association a spin-off series had been discussed.

“We’ve talked about it,” he said. “It’s something I’m not opposed to, but it has to make sense creatively. I’m open to it.

Bloys stayed mum on which characters might be included in a spin-off. Photo: HBO

“The guys aren’t opposed to it, but there’s no concrete plans.”

It’s not yet clear which of the characters might have been flagged to continue their HBO journey – a difficult feat considering the likelihood many of the current line-up will be killed off by 2018.

Bloys also said it would be difficult for the show’s writers to “wrap their heads around” a new series while still filming the current season.

Graphic scenes too much?

Asked if GoT was too extreme in its depiction of violence against women, Bloys defended the writers.

“The violence is pretty extreme on all fronts,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s isolated to women … plenty of men are killed as well. We’re going to kill everybody.”

The show has previously been criticised for its graphic rape scenes, with some labelled gratuitous.

Under the thumb of evil men for years, Sansa Stark has finally broken free. Photo: HBO

One example highlighted by fans was the rape of Cersei Lannister by her brother Jaime in season four – a scene not included in the original books.

Another character who has suffered greatly at the hands of plot writers is Sansa Stark, who for the past two seasons has been sold off, manipulated and sexually abused first by Joffrey Baratheon, then Little Finger and finally Ramsay Bolton.

As if responding to critics’ complaints, Sansa was finally afforded her revenge in season six with her murder of Ramsay Bolton and rejection of Little Finger’s marriage proposal.