'GoT' saga continues: Prequels being planned; Here's what we know
Game of Thrones' last season received generally unfavorable reviews from critics and fans alike. Most of us (including writer George RR Martin) thought that the series ended too early and were left wanting for more. Turns out, the cultural phenomenon is far from over, and there are as many as three planned prequels in the works. Here's all we know about it.
It seems HBO hasn't let 'Game of Thrones' go
The show enjoys a cult following and has become a permanent part of the modern pop culture, spawning several memes, references, and quotable quotes. Because of its insane popularity, letting it go would be unwise and HBO knows this. This is perhaps the reason why it started working on five prequel series in 2017. As of now, only three are past the conceptualization stage.
The news has been confirmed by GRRM on his blog
Three planned prequel projects are currently being developed by creators Jane Goldman, Max Borenstein, Brian Helgeland, and Carly Wray. Out of these, Goldman's (working title: Bloodmoon) has even begun preparations for filming. George RR Martin, in a blog post, hinted that its story would take place thousands of years before GoT and could be based on his novel, Fire and Blood.
Here's what 'Bloodmoon' could be all about
It'll be based on GRRM's universe with the author serving as the series co-creator. It'll be a completely new story, set in the past with no chance of any known GoT characters appearing. Martin said, "[the show] really puts the PRE in prequel, since it's set not ninety years before Game of Thrones ... or a few hundred years, but rather ten thousand years."
It could chart the origin of the Night King
Since the prequel is set thousands of years in the past, it could feature the origin of Night King and the three-eyed raven. It could focus on the war between The First Men and Children of the Forest that led to the creation of White Walkers. It could also showcase the rise of the Starks and the story of their founder, Brandon the Builder.
Showrunners are currently in the process of finalizing the cast
While character details are unknown, HBO has revealed some of its cast members. Naomi Watts seems set to play "a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret." Other probable actors include Miranda Richardson (Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), Jamie Campbell Bower (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald), Georgie Henley (The Chronicles of Narnia series), and Marquis Rodriguez (Luke Cage).
The prequels are not releasing anytime soon though!
They are currently in the process of filming the pilot for Bloodmoon. While it seems like good news, we have to take it with a pinch of salt because pilots often get canceled or remade. Even GoT's original pilot was remade before it aired for the first time. It is best to just wait and watch and hope they're also planning some spinoffs.
