HBO orders pilot for 'Game of Thrones' prequel and reveals new details

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By VT

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Game of Thrones is filming its eighth and final season, which will air in April 2019. Finally, we'll find out what happens to Jon, Cersei, Daenrys and the other 500 characters. HBO is going to great lengths to keep the storylines secret, but I bet my life savings that in the end, Hot Pie will sit on the Iron Throne.

Fans are disappointed the series is ending because they want to see more of the characters. And HBO executives are disappointed its ending because they want to make more sweet, sweet, money. Game of Thrones is HBO's most popular series of all time. (Sorry, Sopranos.) Last season averaged 23 million viewers in the United States alone.

However, Westeros is a huge world with a long history. George R.R. Martin hasn't finished writing the the last two A Song Of Ice And Fire books, and maybe never will. But he has written two anthology books: The World Of Ice And Fire and A Knight Of Seven Kingdoms. In these books, he covers centuries of history, details the lineage of the royal families, and proves there are still many fascinating stories to tell.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BjGNQbkjxg2/]]

So, HBO is very interested in a spin-off series, and in an unprecedented move, hired five writers (or writing teams) to work on five different pilot scripts at once. Now we know which script won, and no, it's not Better Call Sansa, Everybody Loves Ramsey or It's Always Hodor In Hodor.

HBO has officially ordered a pilot for a Game of Thrones prequel series written by Jane Goldman and George R.R. Martin. (He doesn't have time to finish the books, but he does have time to co-write TV pilots!) Goldman previously wrote the acclaimed action movies, Kickass, X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service. The story takes place 'thousands of years in the past,' according to the official series description:

"Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thing is for sure: From the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East, to the Starks of legend… it’s not the story we think we know."

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BhlfqcqDULV/]]

The "Age of Heroes" took place 10,000 years before Game of Thrones, which means there will be a whole new cast of characters. But some names and locations might sound familiar. According to Martin's books, the storylines could include the construction of The Wall, the generation-long winter called The Long Night, and the origin of the white walkers. (And also, I'm guessing, a lot of boobs, murder and dragons.)

The current Game of Thrones showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, are leaving the franchise after the series finale to write a series of Star Wars movies. Since Game of Thrones ends in 2019, the earliest date a spin-off series could debut is 2020.

HBO orders pilot for 'Game of Thrones' prequel and reveals new details

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

Game of Thrones is filming its eighth and final season, which will air in April 2019. Finally, we'll find out what happens to Jon, Cersei, Daenrys and the other 500 characters. HBO is going to great lengths to keep the storylines secret, but I bet my life savings that in the end, Hot Pie will sit on the Iron Throne.

Fans are disappointed the series is ending because they want to see more of the characters. And HBO executives are disappointed its ending because they want to make more sweet, sweet, money. Game of Thrones is HBO's most popular series of all time. (Sorry, Sopranos.) Last season averaged 23 million viewers in the United States alone.

However, Westeros is a huge world with a long history. George R.R. Martin hasn't finished writing the the last two A Song Of Ice And Fire books, and maybe never will. But he has written two anthology books: The World Of Ice And Fire and A Knight Of Seven Kingdoms. In these books, he covers centuries of history, details the lineage of the royal families, and proves there are still many fascinating stories to tell.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BjGNQbkjxg2/]]

So, HBO is very interested in a spin-off series, and in an unprecedented move, hired five writers (or writing teams) to work on five different pilot scripts at once. Now we know which script won, and no, it's not Better Call Sansa, Everybody Loves Ramsey or It's Always Hodor In Hodor.

HBO has officially ordered a pilot for a Game of Thrones prequel series written by Jane Goldman and George R.R. Martin. (He doesn't have time to finish the books, but he does have time to co-write TV pilots!) Goldman previously wrote the acclaimed action movies, Kickass, X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service. The story takes place 'thousands of years in the past,' according to the official series description:

"Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thing is for sure: From the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East, to the Starks of legend… it’s not the story we think we know."

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BhlfqcqDULV/]]

The "Age of Heroes" took place 10,000 years before Game of Thrones, which means there will be a whole new cast of characters. But some names and locations might sound familiar. According to Martin's books, the storylines could include the construction of The Wall, the generation-long winter called The Long Night, and the origin of the white walkers. (And also, I'm guessing, a lot of boobs, murder and dragons.)

The current Game of Thrones showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, are leaving the franchise after the series finale to write a series of Star Wars movies. Since Game of Thrones ends in 2019, the earliest date a spin-off series could debut is 2020.