After George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones became a smashing success for HBO, it became clear to the network that there was something magical about their partnership with the award-winning author. Luckily for them, Martin has agreed to develop multiple new HBO television shows in a massive deal that will keep him busy for the next couple of years.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the five-year contract, which is "worth mid-eight figures," will allow Martin to continue exploring the fantasy genre but with brand new stories beyond his A Song of Ice and Fire book series. While Martin is expected to put forth such offerings in the next couple of years, he still has a full line-up of Game of Thrones-related projects in the works, which should please fans of the franchise.
One of those works is the highly-anticipated spin-off House of Dragon, which will serve as a prequel to the original television series. Set 300 years before Game of Thrones, the 10-episode show will focus on House Targaryen, the powerful empire which once ruled the Westeros. Bates Motel's Olivia Cooke will star as Alicent Hightower, a key figure in the Targaryen civil war that will take place at some point in the show, and she will be joined by co-stars Emma D'Arcy, Matt Smith, and Paddy Considine. Filming and production are set to commence next month with a 2022 release date in mind.
Other Game of Thrones spin-offs that Martin is overseeing include a project about the warrior queen Nymeria (with the working title 10,000 Ships), a House of Dragon spin-off about Lord Corlys Velaryon, a.k.a. the Sea Snake, a mysterious project about Flea Bottom in King's Landing, and a small-screen adaptation of his Dunk and Egg novellas.
Despite all of these exciting enterprises, fans are still pushing for Martin to finish the sixth book in the series on which Game of Thrones is based. Martin says the book, which is titled The Winds of Winter, will likely be finished this year. However, it is unclear whether or not that will actually be the case, as there have been several delays in the past.
In a previous interview with The Guardian, Martin said that Game of Thrones finishing was "freeing," as it allowed him to finally write The Winds of Winter. With that in mind, it could still be quite some time before fans can get their hands on The Winds of Winter.
Game of Thrones is now streaming on HBO Max.
Source: Hollywood Reporter