Game of Thrones director Jack Bender is fuelling those terrifying rumours that the series will be ending with only two more shortened seasons.

Jack Bender - aka the director behind season six's heartbreaking 'The Door' - has seemingly revealed while discussing a possible return to Game of Thrones that only seven episodes are being planned for next year.

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Bender - who made his Game of Thrones directorial debut this season - told Vanity Fair: "They're only doing seven [episodes], and they've got their regulars who have done it forever.

"I know that I had a wonderful experience doing the show and I know that [producers] Dan and David are thrilled with the shows... Under the best of circumstances, schedule and everything, I had a great experience doing the show. If available and they wanted me to, I would love to do that."

Digital Spy has reached out to HBO for comment on Bender's claim that there will only be seven episodes in Game of Thrones season seven.

HBO

Earlier in the year, Game of Thrones producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss hinted that they have only between 10-15 more hours of story left.

"We're not walking away. We're approaching the finish line," they said. "From the outset, our hope was to tell a complete story - beginning, middle and end.

"We are writing the final act now, and the last thing we want to do is stay on stage after the play is over."

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Benioff and Weiss have also ruled out developing any prequels or spinoffs once the rightful heir finally ends up on the Iron Throne.

HBO renewed Game of Thrones for a seventh season back in April, although the network curiously declined to reveal how many episodes would comprise the 2017 run.

Earlier this year, cast member Natalie Dormer told Digital Spy that the show's writers will "take as long as it requires" to tell the story correctly.

In the meantime, Game of Thrones continues on HBO on Sunday in the US and Sky Atlantic on Monday in the UK.

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