[UPDATE] November 2, 2018 4.18 a.m. EST: Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin yesterday announced that the first the first Game of Thrones prequel will be called "The Long Night." Naomi Watts has been confirmed to lead the ensemble cast.
Writing on his blog, Martin wrote, “Casting is now underway for THE LONG NIGHT, the first of the GAME OF THRONES successor series to ordered to film.”
More cast names are expected to be revealed soon. Peep the initial story below.
After eight seasons, Game of Thrones comes to its conclusion next year. But fans thirsting for more can rest easy in the knowledge that additional Westeros action is on the way, and soon — HBO has ordered a prequel to the series, and according to Northern Ireland’s Belfast Telegraph, it'll start filming this October.
It looks like the prequel will be filmed in Belfast's Titanic Studios, shortly "after Superman and Star Wars epics" are all wrapped up. Hopefully the filming timeline means that there won't be too much of a hiatus between GoT's season eight finale and the prequel's arrival.
Last month, HBO confirmed to CNN that the pilot will be set thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, and "chronicles the world's descent from the Golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour." An ominous logline for the show reads, "from the horrifying secrets of Westeros's history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend… it's not the story we think we know."
The as yet untitled prequel was created by British screenwriter Jane Goldman, who has notably worked on screenplays for Kick-Ass and the Kingsman movies, and original Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin.
Previously, HBO programming president Casey Bloys teased that “zero to five” Game of Thrones spin-off projects could make it to the small screen.
The final season of Game of Thrones will take place in 2019. HBO has given no date for an expected release of the prequel.
What would you like to see in a Game of Thrones prequel? Let us know in the comments below.
Elsewhere in TV world, Donald Glover's ‘Atlanta’ has been renewed for a third season.
