Game of Thrones ended a few years ago, but HBO is intensifying its efforts to expand the franchise with a slate of spinoffs. The first, House of the Dragon, has been a success, with Season 2 airing its finale tonight. Another spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, is currently filming and slated for release next year.
The initial success of Game of Thrones and the follow-up triumph of House of the Dragon have prompted HBO and George R.R. Martin to develop numerous potential spinoffs, almost all of which are prequels. HBO’s spinoff efforts have been fluid, with various projects being shelved or revived. For instance, a Jon Snow sequel series starring Kit Harington was in the works but has reportedly been shelved. Similarly, a pilot for a show called Blood Moon was filmed but not pursued further.
During a talk with fellow author Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials) at the Oxford Writers’ House, Martin discussed the possibility of an animated adaptation of his Song of Ice and Fire series. While he didn’t provide a direct answer, he did mention that HBO holds the animation rights to his work and is developing seven potential spin-offs.
In addition to the currently airing House of the Dragon and the soon-to-arrive A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Martin revealed that there are seven Game of Thrones spinoffs in development. Four are animated, and three are live-action.
The potential spinoffs mentioned include a live-action series about Aegon the Conqueror and another called Ten Thousand Ships about Nymeria of the Rhoynar. On the animated front, projects include The Sea Snake, focusing on young Corlys Velaryon, and The Golden Empire, set in the far-flung region of Yi Ti.
It’s important to note that not all these projects may come to fruition. The development landscape for Game of Thrones spinoffs has been notably volatile, with several concepts being scrapped despite significant progress. HBO, mindful of maintaining quality, seems determined to avoid the pitfalls of Game of Thrones‘ controversial final season.
House of the Dragon has been generally well-received with strong viewership, despite some criticisms of seasonal storylines. Its ability to draw directly from Martin’s source material has been a significant advantage. The same is expected for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. However, the viability of other spinoffs may depend on the depth of the source material and the creative direction taken.
As fans await new content, the running joke remains that Martin will do anything to avoid finishing Winds of Winter, the elusive book that continues to haunt readers’ dreams.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
