Every Game of Thrones spinoff in development HBO, ranked by hype
HBO is developing several Game of Thrones spinoff series, plus one play coming to the Broadway stage. Which are we most excited for?
Prequels, sequels, remakes, reboots, spinoffs…we’re surrounded these days by franchises expanding their universes, and Game of Thrones is no exception. HBO has several spinoffs of its landmark fantasy series in development. Let’s talk about them.
It’s not clear whether all the series we’re going to disnuss will actually be greenlit, let alone make it to your TV screen. Look at what happened with Blood Moon, the first Game of Thrones prequel: writers and crew were hired, actors were cast, and a pilot was shot in 2019, and then the network shut it down. As of now, the only spinoff we’re gotten is House of the Dragon, about a Targaryen civil war that tore Westeros apart nearly 200 years before the original series. And it’s possible that it’s all we’ll get.
Still, there’s a lot of irons in the fire. A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin has signed a five-year deal to develop content for HBO, which probably means he’ll be working on some or all of these shows. His presence will surely ease the worries of some fans, but it’ll ultimately be up to the individual creative teams to make these series work.
Regardless of whether creating a Game of Thrones cinematic universe is a good thing, let’s look at each of the upcoming shows and see if we can get a better feel for them.
House of the Dragon season 2
House of the Dragon is the first and so far only Game of Thrones prequel to make it to air. Before season 1 premiered in August of 2022, fans were skeptical. Some were suspicious after the divisive end of the mothership show, but House of the Dragon satisfied most everyone, from casual fans who simply wanted more dragons to hardcore book-readers who were delighted over how close the show kept to its source material: George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood.
There were some changes, to be sure, like removing the character of Mushroom, who’s off-kilter perspective is missed. And overall the first season of House of the Dragon wasn’t quite as tight as the first season of Game of Thrones way back when. But the new show was more than good enough to quiet many worries, and to get fans eager to see what happens next. How will Rhaenyra react now that her son Lucerys is dead? Will Aegon be able to hack it as king? And what hell will Daemon raise?
In short order, House of the Dragon has established a new cast of popular characters to root for and against. The special effects are starting on a very high level. It feels like we’re back in the heyday of Game of Thrones, and that’s a great thing. A second season will air this summer.
Hype Level: Like old times
For the first time in years, Game of Thrones fans have a new season of TV to look forward to! If House of the Dragon continues the momentum of its first season, we could be looking at a modern classic in the making. – Dan