Ever since we got word that no less than four Game of Thrones spin-offs are in the works, the internet has been running wild with speculation as to the specifics of the upcoming shows– will they follow old friends into the future, or will they backtrack into the rich history of Westeros? Rumors ran rampant, but finally, George R.R. Martin had his say on the spin-offs yesterday. Martin took to his blog to talk about his involvement in and the nature of the projects while also putting several well-loved theories to rest. In response to the term “spin-offs,” Martin had this to say:
For what it’s worth, I don’t especially like the term “spinoff,” 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.
Sad news for those hoping to follow the adventures Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen past the Game of Thrones finale next year. Perhaps more shockingly, however, Martin went on to say that the upcoming shows will not cover two of the most popular ideas for spin-off series– Robert’s Rebellion, which would focus on Robert Baratheon’s upheaval of the Targaryen monarchy several years before the beginning of Thrones, or the adventures of Dunk and Egg–two beloved characters who feature in Martin’s series of prequel novellas set in Westeros. This is quite a hit to fans who have hoped for years to see these two stories come to life.
Nonetheless, Martin had his reasons– for Robert’s Rebellion, he claimed that the story is already being told in his novels and that by the time his series is complete, there will be little mystery to the events that occurred. As for Dunk and Egg, Martin said he wouldn’t be against a later show about them, but for now, he wanted to continue their stories through his own writing, rather than through the medium of television.
It sounds like the spin-offs set in Westeros (not all of which, Martin suggests, will ultimately air) will focus on completely new characters, plots, and even locations, with no ties to those we know, either from the HBO show or Martin’s book series. Westeros is only a continent– the world around it is huge and mostly unknown– there is a lot to be explored in the upcoming years. This is a bold choice on the part of Martin and HBO, and it probably will have a lot of people disappointed. For many, it is not merely Westeros as a location that fans love– it is the characters and cultures both past and present that we have come to know for years now. It will be interesting to see if the spin-offs can recapture the same hold on audiences that Game of Thrones has.
Martin claims he has already met with all four writers involved in the upcoming spin-offs. It will be interesting to see what his level of involvement and creative control will be with the upcoming shows, especially as he is still trying to finish the next book in A Song of Ice and Fire.
Game of Thrones may be coming to an end, but it looks like the stories Westeros has to tell are far from over. There is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming years.
What would you like to see in a GOT spin-off? Comment below
