As Game of Thrones is heading into the final chapters of its eight-season run on HBO, the premium cable network has revealed some information about its succession plan, signing deals with four writers to join George R.R. Martin in the development and writing of four GOT offshoot series.
The network would not specify whether the series would be prequels, sequels, spinoffs or companion series to GoT — or all of the above — only noting that each project would “explore different time periods of George R. R. Martin’s vast and rich universe” in his epic fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire.
GoT creators/executive producers Dan Weiss and David Benioff, who are finishing up the upcoming seventh season and already are in the midst of writing and preparing for the series’ eighth and final season, are attached as executive producers on all projects alongside Martin but will not be involved in the writing. The four potential GoT offshoot series will be written by:
Max Borenstein (Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island)
Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Kingsman and X-Men franchises), George R. R. Martin
Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, A Knights Tale)
Carly Wray (HBO’s The Leftovers & Westword, AMC’s Mad Man), George R. R. Martin
HBO stresses that all four projects are in development. There is no set timetable for them, and they will be evaluated when the scripts are completed.
It is logical to assume that the network would like to have a new GoT-themed series launch behind the final season of the blockbuster mothership show.
HBO brass had hinted about trying to expand the popular GoT franchise with additional series, including a possible prequel or spinoff. Martin, who is under an overall deal at HBO, also had been alluding to new projects he has in the works at the network.
Game of Thrones is one of the biggest series on television alongside AMC’s The Walking Dead, which too got a companion series with prequel Fear the Walking Dead.
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