George R. R. Martin Speaks Out Against Calling ‘Game Of Thones’ Shows “Spinoffs”

It was announced earlier in the month that Game of Thrones would produce four spinoff series, and author George R. R. Martin opened up with more information.

GEORGE R. R. MARTIN TALKS GAME OF THRONES SPINOFFS

The author condemned calling the related shows spinoffs, claiming none would feature any of the current characters. “None of these new shows will be ‘spinning off’ from GoT in the traditional sense. We are not talking Joey or AfterMASH or even [Frasier] or Lou Grant, where characters from one show continue on to another,” Martin told EW. “So all of you who were hoping for the further adventures of Hot Pie are doomed to disappointment. Every one of the concepts under discussion is a prequel, rather than a sequel. Some may not even be set on Westeros.”

In addition, Martin notes that there is now a fifth show in the works, when only four had been previously reported. Martin will be involved in the making of all the shows. He is already credited as a co-writer on two of the four previously announced, but now says he will be at least somewhat involved in all of them.

“I’ve actually been working with all four of the writers. Every one of the four has visited me here in Santa Fe, some of them more than once, and we’ve spent days together discussing their ideas, the history of Westeros and the world beyond, and sundry details found only in The World of Ice & Fire and The Lands of Ice & Fire,” the author said. “We weren’t drinking margaritas and eating chile rellenos and visiting Meow Wolf. They are all amazing talents, and I am excited to be working with them. In between visits, I’ve been in touch with them by phone, text, and email, and I expect there will be a lot more back-and-forth as we move forward.”

Many fans anticipated that one of the prequel stories would be about Robert Baratheon’s rebellion to become king of Westeros, but Martin says that is not the case. “I know thousands of you want that, I know there’s a petition,” he said, “but by the time I finish writing A Song of Ice & Fire, you will know every important thing that happened in Robert’s Rebellion. There would be no surprises or revelations left in such a show, just the acting out of conflicts whose resolutions you already know. That’s not a story I want to tell just now; it would feel too much like a twice-told tale.”

The author reported that he is still working on the much awaited The Winds of Winter novel from the franchise book series: “I will confess, I do wish I could clone myself, or find a way to squeeze more hours into the day, or a way to go without sleep.”