Game of Thrones has been one of HBO’s biggest commercial success since the network started in 1972. They’ve had some great shows, but no other series has had the cult following of Game of Thrones in its eight seasons. Fans followed their favorite characters through all the pain, tragedy, and triumph all the way from Winterfell to the dramatic series finale in King’s Landing. However, HBO could never have predicted the harsh reaction fans had to the final six episodes. Such a harsh reaction, in fact, that a petition was created to convince HBO to remake the final season entirely. Here’s what HBO execs have to say about the petition and fan outrage since the airing of Game of Thrones season 8.

Fans’ Vs. Critics’ Reaction To GoT Season 8

Over 1.7 million fans have signed a petition on Change.org to have the show’s last season rewritten. Dylan D., the creator of the petition, asked HBO for “competent” writers to re-create the show’s finale. Dylan summarized his petition by stating, “David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have proven themselves to be woefully incompetent writers when they have no source material (i.e. the books) to fall back on.” He has received support from a vast number of Game of Thrones fans who were disappointed in the wrap up of many characters’ storylines. Despite fan outrage, the final season of Game of Thrones could be a record-breaker for HBO. They are vying with Netflix for the most honors at the 2019 Emmys, with an unbeatable 32 nominations. No other series has received that many Emmy nominations in a single year and they are on the right track to taking home the trophies for many of them.

HBO Responds To The Famous Petition

Despite resounding critical praise, fans are still pushing for a remake of the final six episodes. Until now, the showrunners and network have not responded to the petition. However, since it has reached over one million signatures, they’ve come out to stop any rumors about a season 8 remake. In a recent TV critics’ meeting, HBO programming chief Casey Bloys officially cleared the air by stating: “There are very, very few downsides to having a hugely popular show, but one I can think of is when you try to end it, many people have big opinions on how it should end. The petition shows a lot of enthusiasm and passion for the show, but it wasn’t something that we seriously considered.” Bloys and other HBO execs seem to agree that the best way to satisfy fans is with a prequel series rather than a remake of what has already been done. However, with the uproar around season 8, will their prequel series be a success?

Will HBO Continue With Prequel After The Petition?

Despite losing a significant portion of their fan base, HBO still plans to shoot and produce a prequel series based on George R.R. Martin‘s novel series. Just like with Game of Thrones, the writers are said to be receiving direct input from Martin on the show’s storyline and character arcs. The new series is set thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, meaning so far there will be no returning characters or cast from the original show. They have also introduced a new showrunner, Jane Goldman, to take the place of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. HBO reports that filming for the prequel has officially begun in Ireland. According to Casey Bloys, footage so far is looking “really good.” Perhaps the new prequel series will ameliorate Game of Thrones for some fans who signed the petition.