'True Blood' to end with season 7 in 2014, HBO confirms

[ntscuser]

True Blood will come to an end after its seventh season, HBO has announced.



The fantasy drama series will conclude after a ten-episode run in summer 2014, the cable network's president of programming Michael Lombardo stated.

Anna Paquin stars as Sookie Stackhouse in the US show, which was launched in 2008 by creator Alan Ball.

It is based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, featuring the existence of vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters and other beings living alongside humans in a fictional town in Louisiana.

"True Blood has been nothing short of a defining show for HBO," Lombardo said. "Alan Ball took the books by Charlaine Harris, assembled a brilliant cast led by the magnificent Anna Paquin in the role of Sookie Stackhouse, and crafted a show that has taken its many devoted fans on an unforgettable journey.

"Alan passed the baton to Brian Buckner, who led our fantastic writers and crew in crafting a spectacular sixth season, and he will lead us through the seventh and final season of this amazing show. Together with its legions of fans, it will be hard to say goodbye to the residents of Bon Temps, but I look forward to what promises to be a fantastic final chapter of this incredible show."

Alan Ball said: "From the moment I read Charlaine's books, I thought there was potential for something really special. Then our amazing writers, cast and crew brought her world to life in a way that exceeded my wildest expectations.

"I'm deeply grateful to HBO for being true partners and collaborators, and, of course, to the viewers who chose to spend Sunday nights in Bon Temps with us."

Brian Buckner added: "I feel enormously proud to have been a part of the True Blood family since the very beginning. I guarantee that there's not a more talented or harder-working cast and crew out there, and I'd like to extend a personal heartfelt thanks to them for their dedication and tenacity over the years, especially this past year, as I stepped into a larger role.

"Thank you also to HBO for their unwavering support and of course to Alan Ball, whose genius enabled all of us to share in this incredible journey. Finally, a huge thank you to the most passionate fans in television. As we take a final walk through Bon Temps together, we will do our very best to bring Sookie's story to a close with heart, imagination and, of course, fun."

True Blood features a large ensemble cast, including Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård and Ryan Kwanten.

The show's sixth season was met with generally positive reviews and averaged a gross audience of 10.6 million viewers across all airings per episode.