Over the weekend, reports emerged that HBO has commissioned a pilot episode for one of the five Game of Thrones prequels currently being developed by the network.
Author George RR Martin has since discussed the show, revealing that already announced Jane Goldman – of Kingsman: The Secret Service, X-Men: First Class, and The Woman in Black fame – wrote the entire episode following discussions with himself.
“I’ve consulted with all of the writers on all of the successor shows, and several of them have visited me in Santa Fe for long days of discussion, and we’ve gone back and forth in email, text, and telephone, so I have definitely been involved,” Martin wrote on his website.
“But, really, the accolades here should go to Jane. She has been an absolute thrill to work with… and my god, what a talent.”
Martin confirmed that Goldman’s series will take place thousands of years before the events of the Game of Thrones TV series and will not feature any of the same cast members.
The author also revealed his hope that the series will be called The Long Night, although says that would be unlikely as “HBO will want to work the phrase ‘Game of Thrones’ in there somewhere.”
Martin added that, yes, he is working hard on The Winds of Winter – the next novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series – hence why he has been unable to write any of the spin-off series himself. Additionally, he adds that one of the five initial spin-offs has since been scrapped by HBO.
Meanwhile, Game of Thrones returns to HBO and Sky Atlantic for an eighth and final season in 2019.
