“The Vampire Diaries” will end after Season 8, which premieres this fall, it was announced at the San Diego Comic-Con Saturday.
Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder star on The CW’s supernatural drama.
“It’s so rare for a show to get to last this long, and what a privilege that Mark Pedowitz (President, The CW) and Peter Roth (chief executive of Warner Brothers Television) have allowed us to choose the time to end the journey on our own creative terms,” said showrunner Julie Plec in a statement. “It’s been eight of the best years of my life. I will miss it terribly, but I’m so proud to be here to see it to its proper end.”
The network also unveiled a goodbye reel for fans during the show’s panel.
The end of “The Vampire Diaries” had been rumored since original series star Nina Dobrev chose to leave the show after Season 6.
In April, Somerhalder apparently told fans that Season 8 would be the final season, though no official announcement came at the time.
“‘The Vampire Diaries’ has meant so much to so many fans around the world, and has meant so much to all of us at The CW,” said Pedowitz. “I am a huge fan of the show myself, and I’ve seen every episode. So I am very happy that we can give Julie and Kevin the chance to finish their story the way they have envisioned, and to give viewers a fantastic conclusion to eight spectacular seasons.”
The eighth and final season of “The Vampire Diaries” premieres Friday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.