AKIPRESS.COM - The eighth and final season of "Game of Thrones" won't air until 2019, HBO confirmed.

The season will only be six episodes, the show's shortest season yet, but episodes are expected to be longer than even the typical 70-80 minutes.

Co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will co-direct their first episode since the season 4 premiere. Miguel Sapochnik ("Hardhome," "Battle of the Bastards" and "The Winds of Winter"), David Nutter ("Rains of Castamere"), Bryan Cogman ("Kissed by Fire") and Dave Hill will also direct.

With the final season planned out, "Game of Thrones" will finish with just one female director, who led four episodes, out of 19 directors and 73 episodes, Variety's Mo Ryan pointed out. Only four episodes had women credited as a writer or co-writer.