George R.R. Martin Says There Are 5 GAME OF THRONES Spinoffs in Development and They're All Prequels
Last week we learned that HBO was developing four potential Game of Thrones spin-off of series. This certainly got fans excited about what could come of this. All we really know at this point is that George R.R. Martin is helping them develop the spin-offs and that he has a solid team of writers helping him. It was also revealed that the projects will take place in different time periods of Westeros, but it was not made clear if any of them will be direct prequels, sequels or just a spinoff.
Martin has shed some new light on these projects and has revealed that there's a fifth spin-off series he's developing. In an entry he posted this weekend on Live Journal, Martin writes:
“We had four scripts in development when I arrived in LA last week, but by the time I left we had five. We have added a fifth writer to the original four. No, I will not reveal the name here. HBO announced the names of the first four, and will no doubt announce the fifth as well, once his deal has closed. He’s a really terrific addition, however, a great guy and a fine writer, and aside from me and maybe Elio and Linda, I don’t know anyone who knows and loves Westeros as well as he does.”
The author goes on to say that he wouldn't consider these new Game of Throne series' spin-offs. He calls them stories that are set in a "secondary universe", and he's calling them "successor shows", and he says they are all prequels. He explains:
"For what it's worth, I don't especially like the term 'spin-off,' and I don't think it really applies to these new projects. What we're talking about are new stories set in the 'secondary universe' (to borrow Tolkien's term) of Westeros and the world beyond, the world I created for A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. It is a world, and a pretty big one, and if there were eight million stories in the naked city back in the 50's, just think how many more there are in an entire world, and one with thousands of years of recorded history.
"None of these new shows will be 'spinning off' from GOT in the traditional sense. We are not talking Joey or After MASH or even Frazier or Lou Grant, where characters from one show continue on to another. So all of you who were hoping for the further adventures of Hot Pie are doomed to disappointment. Every one of the concepts under discussion is a prequel, rather than a sequel. Some may not even be set on Westeros. Rather than 'spin-off' or 'prequel,' however, I prefer the term 'successor show.' That's what I've been calling them."
He's been working on developing these shows since he made his first pitch to HBO back in August. He seems very excited about these projects and where they could lead. He also makes a note of saying that he is still working on his book Winds of Winter and still intends on working on it until it's done! So one day that book will be released. The question is... will it happen before the final season of Game of Thrones ends on HBO? Martin concludes by saying:
"I will confess, I do wish I could clone myself, or find a way to squeeze more hours into the day, or a way to go without sleep. But this is what it is, so I keep on juggling. WINDS OF WINTER, five successor shows, FIRE AND BLOOD (that's the GRRMarillion, remember?), four new Wild Cards books, some things I can't tell you about yet... it's a good thing I love my work."
So there are lots of exciting things coming for fans to enjoy!