‘Game of Thrones’ Spinoff Update: George R.R. Martin Says One Prequel Is ‘Shelved,’ Other Three Still in ‘Active Development’
Winter may be coming for “Game of Thrones” fans, but a thaw is on the horizon. Last week, HBO announced a pilot order for the first “Game of Thrones” spinoff, created and written by Jane Goldman and George R.R. Martin. The project is still untitled, but Martin wrote on his personal website that if he had his druthers, it would be called “The Long Night.” Martin did not share many new details about the project, but he did offer an update on the other four prequels in development, one of which has apparently been shelved.
According to Martin:
“As for the other successor shows… if you have been following along, you know that we started with four, and eventually went to five. One of those has been shelved, I am given to understand, and of course Jane’s pilot is now moving to film. But that does not mean the others are dead. Three more ‘Game of Thrones’ prequels, set in different periods and featuring different characters and storylines, remain in active development. Everything I am told indicates that we could film at least one more pilot, and maybe more than one, in the years to come. We do have an entire world and tens of thousands of years of history to play with, after all. But this is television, so nothing is certain.”
Martin does not say which one has been shelved. Max Borenstein, Brian Helgeland, Bryan Cogman, and Carly Wray were all tapped to pen prequels, with Martin co-writing with Goldman and Wray. In January, HBO programming president Casey Bloys said the other prequels were “all on different schedules…but I’m very encouraged by what we’ve seen. I don’t have a timetable when we’re going to make decisions on anything. I could make between zero and five. Probably more likely around one.”
Martin did take the opportunity to sing Goldman’s praises, touting her fantasy credentials as the screenwriter of the “Kingsman” movies, “X-Men: First Class,” and Disney’s forthcoming live-action “The Little Mermaid.” “The accolades here should go to Jane. She has been an absolute thrill to work with… and my god, what a talent,” wrote Martin. Goldman will also serve as showrunner for the untitled series.
