'Game of Thrones' Season 8 Release Date to Finally Be Revealed Sunday Night

The long winter has felt so incredibly long since Game of Thrones Season 7 finished in August 2017, but now we’ll finally learn exactly how much time is left before the final season begins sometime in April.

On Friday, the official HBO Twitter account shared a screen capture of a supposedly real iMessage conversation between what we might as well call the HBO Social Media Manager and their “Boss.” Framed as a subordinate pestering his superior about the Game of Thrones premiere date, the conversation ultimately confirms that right before the True Detective Season 3 premiere this Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastern, HBO is going to announce the Game of Thrones Season 8 premiere release date.

So to be among the very first people to know when Game of Thones Season 8, Episode 1 will air, viewers should tune in to HBO circa 8:50 p.m. on Sunday, January 13. Chances seem high that there’ll also be new footage of some kind.

HBO will probably announce the GoT premiere date with some sort of legitimate trailer attached, rather than a 5-second teaser like the one released during the Golden Globes last weekend.

This quirky method of social media marketing is decently funny, but it totally apes a strategy previously used by Marvel Studios, like that time in early March 2017 when Robert Downey Jr. had a very public Twitter conversation with the studio to announce that Avengers: Infinity War was being released a full week earlier than originally planned.

Even if these publicity stunts come off as a little bit lame, in both cases, the reveals are welcomed by fans with open arms because winter has already felt way too long.

Game of Thrones Season 8 — the final season — begins sometime in April, and we’ll know exactly when very soon.

Maybe the premiere date reveal will be announced in a new sizzle reel like this one from the Golden Globes?