According to Deadline, Season 2 will have 8 episodes. Not more, not less. Two episodes shorter compared to the first season.
The initial plan was to have a ten-episode story arc. Though it was eventually altered, leading to rewrites. An HBO representative mentioned that the decision to reduce the episode count was primarily influenced by the storytelling direction of the series.
The narrative seems to have shifted to a more long-range plan.
Deadline reports that showrunner Ryan Condal and author George R.R. Martin took a step back during the production of Season 2: they took a broader view of the show’s overall narrative flow.
As a result, Season 3 has reportedly already been planned out. Discussions are underway to proceed with it as part of a long-term strategy, rather than focusing solely on each season.
