Game of Thrones, set to launch its seventh season on July 16, may not just get one spinoff after it ends on its eighth season. The most watched series in the history of HBO could get as many as four of them.
Spinoffs for Game of Thrones have been the subject of speculations for years. With the news, it would seem that HBO is not keen on leaving behind the world of Westeros.
4 'Game Of Thrones' Spinoffs
HBO has entered deals with four writers for the exploration of possible spinoffs for Game of Thrones.
The four writers tapped by HBO are Max Borenstein of Kong: Skull Island and Minority Report, Brian Helgeland of A Knight's Tale and L.A. Confidential, Jane Goldman of X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Carly Wray of The Leftovers and Mad Men.
Over the past few months, HBO executives have privately acknowledged that the network was looking for writers who would be able to develop ideas based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, from which Game of Thrones was adapted.
Goldman and Wray will be working with Martin, but the novelist will not write on any of the four projects. Game of Thrones executive producers and showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff will also be connected to the planned spinoffs, despite previous statements that they are not planning to be involved in follow-up projects to the series.
There is currently no timeline on the development of the spinoffs, so fans who may be expecting the first spinoff to be aired just after the last season of Game of Thrones ends should not hold their breath. There are also no story details to be revealed regarding the spinoffs, aside from the fact that they will explore different time periods within Martin's Game of Thrones universe.
If any of the spinoffs would be approved into production, it would mark the first time that HBO will release a follow-up to one of its original shows. There is no assurance that all four projects will be developed into regular series, as it is possible that one or more titles will be released as a miniseries or shelved.
'Game Of Thrones' Draws To A Close
In a statement, HBO said that Weiss and Benioff are working to finish the seventh season of Game of Thrones. They are also already in the middle of writing and preparing for the eighth and final season of the hit series, which is said to be only six episodes long but will feature pop star Ed Sheeran.
With four writers signed on for a spinoff, the goal of HBO would be to be able to push at least one of the projects into production to continue the franchise after Game of Thrones ends in 2018.
In the meantime, the excitement of fans for the seventh season has continued to skyrocket ever since HBO released its official promo in April. Another promo, released about a week later, revealed a sneak peek at the looks of several Game of Thrones characters for the upcoming season.
