George R.R. Martin Wants HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ Universe to Have ‘Variety’ Like Marvel
TL;DR:
- House of the Dragon is the first of several Game of Thrones spinoffs planned at HBO.
- George R.R. Martin wants the Game of Thrones universe to have a “variety” of offerings.
- Martin’s writings about Westeros offer plenty of source material to draw from.
House of the Dragon just made its debut on HBO, but it’s not the only Game of Thrones spinoff fans can expect from the network. Multiple series will expand on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world, which is rich with lore and history. And the author recently spoke about the Game of Thrones universe, admitting he wants future series to move away from the Iron Throne. In fact, he’d like to see “variety” on par with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
How many ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoffs are in development?
House of the Dragon may be the first spinoff to join HBO’s Game of Thrones universe, but it certainly won’t be the last. According to TimeOut, the network has at least seven other series in development. All of them will offer new perspectives on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world, whisking fans away from the premise that defines the original.
Per TimeOut, here’s what we can expect in the coming years, assuming HBO follows through:
- Jon Snow spinoff: A sequel to Game of Thrones following Kit Harington’s character
- The Sea Snake: A prequel to House of the Dragon centered on Corlys Velaryon
- 10,000 Ships: A prequel focused on Nymeria, the warrior queen who inspired the name of Ayra Stark’s Direwolf
- The Tales of Dunk and Egg: An adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas
- Three animated Game of Thrones shows
Depending on how well the Game of Thrones spinoffs do, we could see even more content from this world. And many of the projects post-House of the Dragon will veer away from the familiar fight for the Iron Throne. In fact, George R.R. Martin hopes for “variety” similar to that of the MCU.
George R.R. Martin wants the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe to have ‘variety’
Of all the Game of Thrones spinoffs currently in the works, House of the Dragon is probably the most similar to the original series — and George R.R. Martin is hoping the universe eventually moves past all the squabbling over the Iron Throne.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Martin pointed to Marvel to explain his vision. He’d like to see stories that differ in scope and tone, citing the contrast between Avengers and WandaVision as an example:
“The MCU has The Avengers, but they also have something offbeat like WandaVision. That’s what I hope we can do with these other Game of Thrones shows, so we can have a variety that showcases the history of this world. There are only so many times you can do a competition for the Iron Throne.”
We’d certainly like to see other aspects of this world, and it sounds like we will. So, how exactly can HBO move away from all the political maneuvering? Thankfully, it’s got plenty of history to draw from.
How HBO can go beyond the Iron Throne
When it comes to Westeros, George R.R. Martin has crafted a vast history — meaning there’s no shortage of stories to tell outside of wars for the Iron Throne.
The spinoffs listed above can delve into the more mysterious, magical aspects of Martin’s world. They can also show what it’s like to live there when you aren’t engaged in an all-consuming fight for power.
With A Song of Ice and Fire, Fire & Blood, and Martin’s other writings exploring numerous points in history — and introducing a wide range of characters — the HBO shows will have plenty of source material to draw from. That means viewers have a lot to look forward to. And that starts with new episodes of House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon airs on HBO at 9 p.m. ET/PT every Sunday.
