'Game of Thrones' News: Prequel Series In The Works At HBO For After Series Concludes In 2018? [VIDEO]
Fans of Game of Thrones are preparing to mourn the end of the show which only had 13 episodes left over the spread of two shortened seasons, but there is some bright news that HBO could somewhat expand the universe the series is built on with a new prequel series that could run sometime after the show bows out in 2018.
The mega-hit series, which is based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books, will end after a six-episode eighth and final season in 2018, but HBO is still in talks with Martin, and could potentially greenlight a prequel series in the future, according to programming president Casey Bloys.
"I would say it's still kind of preliminary ongoing talks," Bloys said during a news conference where he announced the network's renewals of Westworld, Insecure and Divorce. "There are areas we are exploring, but I wouldn't point to any one and say, 'This is what we're going to do.'"
Martin is known for having extensive backstory and history in his fictional world of Westeros, some of which has been detailed by present-time characters throughout the show's previous six seasons, or even shown in flashbacks. The main bit of the past that is often referred to is Robert's Rebellion, which saw Robert Baratheon overthrow Aegon Targaryen and his family from the Iron Throne and take over the kingdom for himself. The Rebellion set the stage for the current battle that has waged throughout the show for the Iron Throne, and has seen great families be almost wiped out entirely by one another, with the Lannister progeny all killed off, as well as the Tyrells and at least half of the Starks, with only three of Ned Stark's actual children, and his presumed bastard (who has since been revealed to really be Ned's sister's son), left.
Because of the extensive history of the Rebellion itself, as well as other moments in Westerosi history that have only been briefly mentioned in the series, or not even brought up at all, a prequel series could truly go anywhere, if it does get the greenlight.
Game of Thrones season 7 premieres on HBO in Summer 2017.
