- The first announced prequel for “Game of Thrones,” created by Jane Goldman and focusing on the Long Night, will not be moving forward at HBO.
- According to reports from Deadline and Entertainment Weekly, HBO has opted not to move forward on the project after a pilot was filmed earlier this year.
- The project had never been greenlit for a full series – it was only ordered into pilot stage.
- There’s a second prequel idea currently in the works.
- On Tuesday, HBO announced they were making “House of the Dragon.”
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The first of several “Game of Thrones” prequel projects is “dead” at HBO, according to reports from Deadline and Entertainment Weekly.
A prequel idea set in the Age of Heroes and focusing on the Long Night, helmed by showrunner Jane Goldman, filmed its pilot episode earlier this year. HBO had not yet ordered an entire season of the project. And now, according to multiple reports, the company has opted not to move forward on it.
An HBO representative told Insider they couldn’t confirm the news.
A second prequel idea, this one set around the Targaryen civil war outlined in author George R.R. Martin's "A World of Ice and Fire" and "Fire and Blood" books, is still in the works.
On Tuesday, HBO announced they were making the "Game of Thrones" show called "House of the Dragon."
At one point, HBO had 5 different 'Game of Thrones' prequels and spin-offs in various stages of development
In 2017, HBO and Martin confirmed the news that five different scripts for various "Game of Thrones" prequels, spinoffs, or "successor shows" were in development.
Now two of those have been dropped - Goldman's Long Night prequel and another idea that was crafted by "Game of Thrones" writer and executive producer Bryan Cogman.
"The reason we did multiple scripts [is that] out of five we'd be lucky to get one we're really excited about," HBO president of programming Casey Bloys said during a 2018 panel at the Television Critics Association event in Los Angeles.
Goldman's script was the first one HBO had been "really excited" about, but now that project is reportedly cancelled.
There's still one prequel idea actively being developed for HBO, and it's all about the Targaryens
In September, EW reported that HBO was "nearing a pilot order for a second 'Game of Thrones' prequel series."
"The series would lead up to and eventually chronicle the house's civil war - aka the legendary Dance of the Dragons," EW's James Hibberd wrote.
The Dance of Dragons was mentioned only briefly on a "Game of Thrones" episode, but was explored in-depth in Martin's two fictional history books, "A World of Ice and Fire" and "Fire and Blood: Volume One."
There's no word on the current status of that prequel idea, nor of the other two potential scripts waiting for a pilot order.
"Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were not part of any of the five prequel show plans. They have since signed a development deal with Netflix, and on Monday night announced they were stepping down from their planned "Star Wars" movies.
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