Max Borenstein, co-writer of Godzilla vs. Kong, discusses how far along his Game of Thrones spinoff series got before it was canceled. Following the divisive final season of Game of Thrones in 2019, both fans and HBO anticipate a return to form. The Winds of Winter, George RR Martin’s long-awaited sixth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire saga, as well as its sequel, appear to provide a more satisfying conclusion to Jon Snow’s story as Daenerys Targaryen. Meanwhile, HBO is developing a number of spin-off series set in/around Westeros.
The first series to be produced was The Long Night, a prequel starring Naomi Watts and set during an entire generation’s winter. HBO ultimately decided not to pick up the series despite the fact that a pilot was shot. Now, several additional Game of Thrones spinoffs have been announced, the most notable of which is House of Dragon, a series set 300 years before Game of Thrones and focusing on the early years of the Targaryen dynasty (inspired by Martin’s Fire & Blood), which begins filming this month and is scheduled to premiere in 2022. Other shows include Tales of Dunk and Egg, 9 Voyages, Flea Bottom, 10,000 Ships, and an untitled animation, all of which take place prior to the events of the flagship series.
Borenstein discussed another Game of Thrones prequel series he was developing for HBO in an interview with Collider. The writer stated that he had an incredible experience and is extremely proud of the enormous amount of work they accomplished, while admitting that he cannot discuss the mysterious project in detail. When asked how far along he was with it or if it had a title, Borenstein stated, “It was very developed in terms of the world; there was a script, there were outlines, and we had a title.” We possessed a great deal of property.”
Borenstein expressed hope that his project will find its moment and went on to clarify that the (now) Game of Thrones universe is a valuable proprietary brand; HBO controls what information is released, including information about cancelled projects. Despite the fact that Watts’ pilot was rejected, she has yet to share a single image of her costume, character details, or anything else. HBO initially commissioned five separate Game of Thrones spinoffs; however, with the cancellation of The Long Night, it’s unclear which of those have continued to develop. House of Dragon, on the other hand, was ordered to series almost immediately after HBO ordered a pilot. HBO president Casey Bloys has since stated that fan anticipation will ultimately determine which Game of Thrones spinoffs are greenlit in the future.
Martin created a sprawling world with a rich history comparable to J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth, complex characters, and more details than could ever be included in a single project with A Song of Ice and Fire and its companion pieces. HBO appears to be drawing heavily from Martin’s source material; for instance, The Long Night was reportedly inspired by “a sentence or two” in The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and Game of Thrones. Having said that, it is impossible to determine the subject matter of Borenstein’s series. The good news is that Martin appears to be actively involved in the spinoffs’ development. He is co-showrunner on House of Dragon with director Miguel Sapochnik of “Battle of the Bastards,” who is also directing the pilot and other episodes. Game of Thrones performed best when it adhered to Martin’s novels, which bodes well for our upcoming visit to Westeros.
