HBO’s chairman and CEO, Richard Plepler and the president of programming, Michael Lombardo, spoke to the press this week at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour and, naturally, there were plenty of questions about Game of Thrones

A question that has been there from the start but is only gaining steam the further the show goes on is whether there are concerns about Game of Thrones catching up to where the books are and the plan for what to do if that should occur.Asked if they would be “having to go off on your own" soon, Lombardo replied, “Well, again, we’re not off on our own. George [R. R. Martin] is an integral part of the creative team on this. So at least with respect to next season, every step, every move is being choreographed very closely with him. And I think, you know, certainly after next year, we will have to figure it out with George if his book’s not finished at this point, but we’re in conversations with him. We’re not concerned about it.”Plepler added, “And of equal importance, [Game of Thrones showrunners] David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] are in constant communication, in conversation with him. So they’re working, as they always have, very closely to model the future. So, no, we’re not losing any sleep over that at all.”Martin has said he feels it would be great to end Game of Thrones with a movie, but the HBO execs said that wasn’t anything they were currently planning. Explained Plepler, “I can only tell you this. In my conversations with George, and I think Mike would corroborate this, he is 100 percent focused on his books and the series and has only held out the movie concept as something way down the road. So their fundamental focus is him finishing the book and then getting to the next season of the series.” Said Lombardo, “There’s no conversations going on about a movie.”Game of Thrones has been renewed through Season 6, though Plepler and Lombardo said they had no intentions of the show ending at that point, with Lombardo stating, “Look, we’re committed to it, and Dan and Dave are committed to it. So as long as David and Dan are in as they are, we’re happy.” Said Plepler, “Our line to George has always been, ‘You keep writing, and we’ll keep making the show.’”Game of Throne has become a giant hit, beloved by both critics and audiences. Asked if they’ve analyzed the reasons behind this, Plepler replied, “I think anybody that pretends that they have the answer to know what resonates in the zeitgeist and becomes a cultural phenomenon is lying to you. What we knew is that it was a great series of books in the hands of two superb showrunners who were great storytellers, and we made a bet, as we always do, on quality and people, and it worked out. That it would turn into the biggest show in the history of our network, [was] completely unpredictable.” He added that he didn’t believe in “the notion that people can kind of shoehorn the zeitgeist,” remarking, “If we knew that, we’d be bottling it! It’s a magic that happens with certain shows. And when it happens, all you can do is go along with it and be very, very pleased.”