Several of HBO's top shows are coming to an end, according to the network's chief. The company has become well-known for its churn of premium content over the years, resulting in shows like The Penguin, The White Lotus, and The Pitt. However, HBO rarely continues a show beyond its due, and a few of the streamer's heavy hitters are winding down with their next seasons.
HBO's CEO spoke to Deadline about the network's slate and revealed that three major shows are likely to end soon. When asked directly whether certain shows will end, Bloys said "it certainly seems that way," but added that "we will defer to the showrunners" to make those decisions.
While it's not a firm confirmation that these shows will definitely be cancelled, it seems that Bloys has heard behind closed doors that the following shows are reaching their natural endpoint.
These Top HBO Shows Are Expected to End Soon
House of the Dragon
Game of Thrones' first major spin-off, House of the Dragon, has done wonders for re-igniting interest in George R.R. Martin's fantasy world, following the disappointing ending to Game of Thrones Season 8.
The prequel series following the Targaryen dynasty, set hundreds of years before the events of Game of Thrones, depicts a civil war between Westeros' ruling house, when their mastery over dragons was at its peak. House of the Dragon is based on a short stint of history in Martin's Fire & Blood, and thus, its lifetime is limited to the events in the novel.
House of the Dragon will return for its third season on HBO in 2026, but beyond this, it seems that Season 4 will be the last for the fantasy epic. Bloys said, "There is a natural end" to the story of the Targaryens in House of the Dragon, and the network plans not to exceed it:
Casey Bloys: "The idea has always been to follow the history of the Targaryens. If you know the books, you know how the Targaryens end up. So there is a natural end to this particular history of that House of the Targaryens."
Hacks
The Emmy-winning comedy series starring Jean Smart as the fictional legendary comedian Deborah Vance, and Hannah Einbinder as her writer, Ava, has seemed like it was coming to an end several times, but it appears Season 5 will truly be Hacks' last.
Hints have been dropped for months that Hacks' fifth season will be the last, with Einbinder letting slip to Variety that "knowing it’s the last season is really bittersweet." Creators Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs have often deferred to a five-season plan for Hacks, and Bloys' comments that HBO will allow the showrunners to decide their own show's fates seem to suggest that this plan will be upheld.
Season 4 of Hacks took a big swing as the show took Deborah Vance into the world of late-night TV, only to end the season with a false announcement about her death. This left Deborah with a desire to secure her legacy, which would make for a fitting final note for Season 5.
The Last of Us
HBO's The Last of Us is based on Naughty Dog's popular games, and the Emmy Award-nominated series has made a name for itself as one of the best video game adaptations to date. Starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, The Last of Us Season 1 covered the entirety of the first game, while the lengthier The Last of Us: Part II has been split across Season 2 and the upcoming confirmed Season 3.
Craig Mazin once mentioned there could be plans for a Season 4 of The Last of Us, with the showrunner saying, "four seems like a good number."
The second game, while much larger, has already told almost half its story in Season 2, with Season 3 backtracking to tell the same period of time from Abby's (Kaitlyn Dever) point of view.
The game does feature an epilogue, which could justify the existence of a fourth season of The Last of Us. Given Bloy's comments that The Last of Us seems to be coming to an end with Season 3, it could be that the third season will simply extend its episode count to cover the epilogue, rather than pushing for another whole season.
HBO has not confirmed when Season 3 of The Last of Us will debut, but filming is set to take place in 2026.
