Everything You Need to Know About the First Game of Thrones Prequel

HBO has finally taken the next step in establishing a prequel series for Game of Thrones. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network has ordered a pilot for a still-untitled prequel series created by Jane Goldman (Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Kickass) and original Thrones mastermind George R.R. Martin. Both will also serve as executive producers. Goldman will additionally serve as show-runner.

Precious few details are available about the series, which will be set thousands of years before the events of the main series, likely during the Age of Heroes. Some of the heroes of that time include Bran the Builder, the founder of House Stark, and Lann the Clever, the founder of House Lannister. HBO teased the series with the following logline: “Only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeross history to the true origin of the White Walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend . . . its not the story we think we know.”

Game of Thrones has been an unprecedented hit for HBO, a flame they intend to keep alive once the show airs its final season in 2019. Though the flagship series will come to an end, the network shared that its juggling five potential prequel ideas. One of the potential prequels is reportedly being dreamt up by Bryan Cogman, a current Thrones executive producer. Cogman has been involved with the show since the very beginning, which means hed know exactly how to keep the magic of the original series alive. Current Thrones show-runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have confirmed that they wont be involved in any of the prequels, so fans would probably consider Cogman a welcome addition to whatever future iteration of the show comes down the pike.

However, as Vanity Fairs reigning Thrones expert Joanna Robinson has noted, some fans might be more cautious. Cogman has also written some of the more controversial twists of the series, like Season 5s “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” a brutal episode that ignited backlash over the shows depiction of sexual abuse. Thrones has also more broadly come under fire for its depiction of women on-screen and its lack inclusivity behind the camera; in the shows history, only one woman, Michelle MacLaren, has directed an episode. Only two women, Jane Espenson and Vanessa Taylor, have written episodes. Hopefully future iterations of the show will aim for and achieve actual parity.

But all of that is still quite a ways away. HBO programming president Casey Bloys previously told T.H.R. that none of the prequels (hes not sure how many just yet) will air until at least a year after the Thrones series finale, so well have to wait until at least 2020 for the final product.

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