Here's The Real Reason 'Game Of Thrones' Final Season Is Taking So Long

Despite being only six episodes long, the final season of Game of Thrones is bigger than any season before it, which is why the HBO series is being held up.

The acclaimed HBO series took home the Emmy Award for best drama on Monday night, a testament to its high quality and attention to detail. If the writer-producers David Benioff and Dan Weiss' sentiments after receiving the award are any indication, this might not be the last time it takes home such a prize.

"The final season's taking a long time because it's the biggest thing we've ever done," Benioff said (via EW). "It was nearly a full year in Belfast either prepping it or actually shooting it. I think when people see it they're going to understand why it took so long. The last season is far beyond what we've ever attempted before."

The final season of Game of Thrones recently wrapped production and is expected to arrive in early 2019. The first look at the upcoming episodes was revealed on an HBO sizzle reel.

If series creator George R.R. Martin had his way, the popular Sunday night show would have continued far beyond its upcoming final season.

"We could've gone 11, 12, 13 seasons," Martin told Variety. "David and Dan have been saying for like five seasons that seven seasons is all they would go. We got them to go to eight but not any more than that. There was a period like five years ago when they were saying seven seasons and I was saying 10 seasons and they won, they're the ones actually working on it."

On Monday night, Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage took home the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Tyrion Lannister.

"You are honestly the most talented, amazing people I know besides my wife Erica, who I think I forgot to thank a couple years ago so thank you Erica for putting up with me," Dinklage said in his Emmy Award acceptance speech. "I'm very tempermental! I love you very much! Thank you to my brother from another mother, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. I love you and I share this with you because you are an amazing handsome brother!"

Fans will get their fix on the highest quality episodes of Game of Thrones and its final six when the HBO series returns in the first half of 2019.