San Diego Comic-Con 2018: Here’s Why HBO’s ‘Westworld’ And ‘Game Of Thrones’ Won’t Be There

San Diego Comic-Con 2018 is about to start but for HBO fans, some of their favorite shows will be absent. While the Game of Thrones panel is normally a huge draw for fans of the epic fantasy series, this year, HBO has decided not to send cast members to San Diego Comic-Con 2018. The same goes for cast and crew of their other huge hit, Westworld.

But, why is that so?

According to E! Online, there will be no panel or representation on behalf of Game of Thrones because the series will not be airing this year. With the final season not slated to air until 2019, it would be a hard sell to send in cast members who couldn’t talk about Season 8 of the hit show, knowing that it won’t air for another year anyway.

In addition, the potential is that the final season of Game of Thrones will not air until the summer of 2018, which might not be until after San Diego Comic-Con 2019. This means that if the timing is right, HBO would be better suited to present a panel at San Diego Comic-Con next year, prior to the Season 8 premiere.

As for HBO’s Westworld, it is, essentially, the same issue.

Variety has pointed out that the scheduled premiere date for Season 3 of Westworld hasn’t been tied down yet, so it could be some time before we get an announcement on that. And, considering Game of Thrones and Westworld have been airing on alternative years, it seems likely fans of the hit sci-fi series won’t get their robot fix until some time in 2020. Which means, once again, there will be very little information to include in a Westworld panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

HBO has also released the following statement in regard to Game of Thrones and Westworld‘s absence at San Diego Comic-Con 2018.

“Due to production schedules and air dates for Game of Thrones and Westworld, these series will not be presented at San Diego Comic-Con this summer. HBO has a longstanding relationship with SDCC, and we are very grateful for the fans’ enthusiastic response over the years. We look forward to returning in the future.”

San Diego Comic-Con runs this weekend, from Friday, July 20, through to Sunday, July 23.

Game of Thrones is set to return to HBO for its final season in 2019.

Westworld, which just finished airing its second season late last month, is expecting to air sometime in 2020 on HBO.