GAME OF THRONES Executive Unsure of Show's Future & Ending Compared to Novels

Despite being optimistic of the show's success, HBO's Michael Lombardo is unsure that the Emmy nominated drama which returns for it's sophomore season in early 2012, will end on the same terms as the ongoing novels in which it's based.

Game of Thrones is an HBO adaptation of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire". Set in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime, Game of Thrones chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among the kingdom's seven noble families for control of the Iron Throne; as the series opens, additional threats from the snow and ice covered region north of Westeros and from the eastern continent across a narrow sea are simultaneously beginning to rise.

During the Television Critics Association tour in Los Angeles, the question was raised as to what would happen when the TV series catches up to the novels; aka. running out of material to adapt for the television show. Currently five novels of George R.R. Martin's 'Song of Ice and Fire' series have been published, the latest of which hit stores six years after the fourth. Martin has confirmed that he's planned to write seven novels but hasn't even started the sixth at this time. With the pace set by the TV show, it's inevitable to assume the series will catch up to the source material before it's completed.

"I don’t know where the show will end, as opposed to the books. It would be fantastic to be able to say this show will go on for 10 years, and do every aspect of the books. I don’t know that will be the case. We’ll see, but we are doing this without any predetermined idea of the number of seasons," said Michael Lombardo, President of HBO programming.

Recent cast additions for season two include Stephen Dillane (John Adams, King Arthur) as Stannis Baratheon and Carice van Houten (Repo Men) as Melisandre. Even more recent additions include Liam Cunningham (Camelot) as the onion knight Davos, Natalie Dormer (The Tudors) as Margaery Tyrell and Gwendoline Christie as fan favorite knight Brienne.

Game of Thrones stars Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Iain Glen, Aidan Gillen, Harry Lloyd, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Richard Madden, Alfie Allen, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Jack Gleeson, Rory McCann, Peter Dinklage, and Jason Momoa. The series is executive produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss; co-executive producers, Carolyn Strauss, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and George R.R. Martin; producers, Mark Huffam and Frank Doelger.