HBO announces which show will replace Game of Thrones next year

Justin Theroux (left) stars in The Leftovers, the show replacing Game of Thrones, starring Kit Harrington as Jon Snow (above), next year.

It's official now, folks - Game of Thrones is definitely not coming back next April.

It was confirmed today that the third and final season of acclaimed drama The Leftovers will premiere in April next year, taking over the slot that has been reserved for Game of Thrones for the past six years.

It means that the fantasy drama won't be back until June at the absolute earliest, as Leftovers will run for eight weeks as it wraps up its own fantastical storyline.

Game of Thrones fans were devastated earlier this year when it was revealed they would have a longer wait than usual to get the shortened seventh season, especially after the two episodes that wrapped up season six.

However, The Leftovers might just be the perfect replacement for any fans suffering dragon-withdrawals.

Set after 2 per cent of the world's population mysteriously disappears, the show revolves primarily around two families in the town of Mapleton struggling to move on while facing off against cruel cult the Guilty Remnant.

The third season, which brings back stars Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Regina King and Liv Tyler, will move to Australia to wrap up all the mysteries.

HBO will also premiere the final season of Girls mid February, alongside high profile mini-series Big Little Lies with Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.

If Thrones fans just can't wait a second longer, the premium American network has released three shots of the next season of Thrones just to keep you hanging in there.