Game of Thrones season 8 release date: Sophie Turner confirms 2019 HBO return

Dashing hopes it might sneak into the end of 2018

(HBO)

There's been a fair bit of confusion around when Game of Thrones' final season will air, with production dates shifting and expanding.

It now seems certain we won't get any new episodes until 2019, however.

Asked if she was excited about season 8 premiering next year by Variety, Sansa Stark actor Sophie Turner corrected: "Game of Thrones comes out in 2019."

"We started in October, so we’re maybe like a tenth of the way through," she added, "we’ve got six or seven months left."

With production on track to conclude at the end of spring/start of summer, the Thrones' post-production team should be able to turn things around for broadcast by the start of 2019.

As this will be the final outing, the cast are soaking it in.

"When we all had the read-through for the final season, it was very, very emotional," Turner explained.

"For the first time in “Thrones” history, we had everyone there. All of the Americans wanted to come over. Every single cast member was pretty much there.

"We’re all kind of feeling the end of it coming. We’re all staying in town a little longer, going out for more meals, trying to get together more. We’re all trying not to take it for granted any more."