George RR Martin opens up about 'GoT' projects being shelved
A Song of Ice and Fire author George RR Martin has revealed several spinoffs of the popular series Game of Thrones have been affected by ongoing changes at HBO Max. In a recent blog post, he said the future of these spinoffs isn't safe. The revelation came months after GoT prequel House of the Dragon had the biggest premiere and season finale for HBO.
Why does this story matter?
- Game of Thrones, aka GoT, is one of the most-watched TV series in the world. The series ran for eight seasons and is considered a pop-culture phenomenon. From its iconic dialogues to the characters, fans geek about the series even to date.
- The GoT spinoff series are also among the most anticipated projects and Martin's statements are a cause of worry to the fans.
Martin talks about changes in HBO Max
Martin mentioned the dicey future of GoT universe projects and the shelving of some of his shows in the blog post on Wednesday. Notably, this development follows the merger of HBO's parent WarnerMedia and Discovery in April 2022. Moreover, HBO Max's content slate has been cut short to reduce costs of late, and shows like Love Life, Minx, and FBoy Island also stand canceled.
Projects being shelved, chances of their revival
Martin wrote, "Some of [GoT spinoffs] are moving faster than others, as is always the case with development. None have been greenlit yet, though we are hoping...maybe soon." Recently, House of the Dragon, a prequel to GoT, received a massive response and has been renewed for another season. He said that while a couple of projects have been shelved, they can be revived eventually.
Future projects of 'GoT' Universe
Martin further stated, "You can take something off the shelf as easily as you can put it on the shelf. All the changes at HBO Max have impacted us, certainly." As per a report by Variety, at least six projects from the GoT universe are in development. These include Tales of Dunk and Egg, 10,000 Ships, and a Jon Snow spinoff with Kit Harington.
Another popular studio being affected by managerial changes
The GoT universe is not the first to be affected by management changes in popular studios. DC Studios is also undergoing changes after James Gunn and Peter Safran became co-chairpersons and CEOs. From projects being canceled to bringing new characters, the studio's vision has been different from filmmaker Zack Snyder's. DCEU projects have not been well-accepted by fans; hence this new attempt is interesting.
