Game of Thrones gets a third season

Like winter, many fans expected this was coming.

Following a stellar season two premiere of 8.3 million viewers in the US, HBO has renewed Game of Thrones for a third season.

"Series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss raised our expectations for the second season - and then surpassed them," said HBO programming president Michael Lombardo in a press release.

"We are thrilled by all the viewer and media support we've received for the series, and can't wait to see what Dan and David have in store for next season."

The series is based on the best-selling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin and is set in the world of Westeros where summers and winters can last decades. It's a savage place full of incest, murders and much plotting between the clans.

The third book A Storm of Swords is one of the longest books in the series and many believe that in order to fit all the events into the television series it would need to be spread out over more than one season. Benioff and Weiss have spoken openly about the idea of playing it out over the course of two 10-episode season.

The series was a breakout hit after its first season, earning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for its star Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister. It also stars Lena Headey, Kit Harington, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley and Emilia Clarke.

Game of Thrones, Season 2, starts Monday 8.30pm on SoHo.

- © Fairfax NZ News