Back in October, it was revealed by The Maze Runner director Wes Ball that the final installment of the franchise, The Maze Runner: The Death Cure, will not be split into two movies, a technique employed by a number of young adult franchises such as Twilight and The Hunger Games. Today, ERC Box Office is reporting that 20th Century Fox has handed out a February 17, 2017 release date for The Maze Runner: The Death Cure, confirming that it will not be split into two movies. This final installment of The Maze Runner franchise currently has the February 17, 2017 release date all to itself, but it will debut just one week after 20th Century Fox's The Mountain Between Us hits theaters on February 10, 2017.

The Maze Runner hit theaters last September, with the sequel The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials set to hit theaters on September 18. This release date for The Maze Runner: The Death Cure means that fans will have to wait nearly a year and a half for the franchise finale after The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials debuts this fall. We reported last month that T.S. Nowlin has come aboard to write the screenplay for The Maze Runner: The Death Cure, but it hasn't been confirmed if Wes Ball will be back to direct.

It's also unknown whether or not 20th Century Fox plans on developing James Dashner's fourth book in his Maze Runner novel series, a prequel entitled The Killing Order, which is set 13 years before the events of the first book and movie. Of course, it's certainly possible that this may go into development, if The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and The Maze Runner: The Death Cure are bigger hits than last year's The Maze Runner, which earned $340.7 million worldwide from just a $34 million production budget.

It hasn't been confirmed yet if cast members such as Dylan O'Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Kaya Scodelario, Ki Hong Lee and Patricia Clarkson will be back for the third and final movie, but we'll keep you posted as soon as more developments come in. Are you disappointed that you'll have to wait until 2017 for this franchise to come to an end? Let us know what you think below.