Sad News For Game Of Thrones Fans

1 00:00:00,370 --> 00:00:05,640 Winter has come, and it's sent an avalanche down on the HBO production offices. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:10,940 In May of 2017, as Game of Thrones neared its seventh and penultimate season on HBO, 3 00:00:10,940 --> 00:00:14,809 the network announced that it was exploring the idea of expanding the world of dragons, 4 00:00:14,809 --> 00:00:18,620 White Walkers, and dudes whose maybe-girlfriends are actually their aunts through multiple 5 00:00:18,620 --> 00:00:19,620 spin-off series. 6 00:00:19,620 --> 00:00:24,740 HBO set up five of these projects, all prequels rather than straight-up spin-offs, according 7 00:00:24,740 --> 00:00:28,210 to Thrones author George R.R. Martin, and recently handed a pilot order to one being 8 00:00:28,210 --> 00:00:32,500 run by Kingsman and Kick-Ass writer Jane Goldman. 9 00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:36,609 Franchise fans rejoiced at the news that at least one of the spin-off series was in works. 10 00:00:36,609 --> 00:00:38,440 But now their merriment and revels must come to an end. 11 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:43,800 HBO president Casey Bloys had announced that Goldman's project is the only Game of Thrones 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:45,100 spin-off moving forward at HBO. 13 00:00:45,100 --> 00:00:49,899 The four others are as good as dead, sitting dormant for the time being. 14 00:00:49,899 --> 00:00:54,30 Bloys dropped the bombshell during the Television Critics Association on Wednesday, July 25th, 15 00:00:54,30 --> 00:00:58,190 telling those in attendance, "There are no plans to make any others at this point." 16 00:00:58,190 --> 00:01:03,190 According to Bloys, it was HBO's intention from the start to brainstorm a bevy of projects 17 00:01:03,190 --> 00:01:08,650 and then lock in just one series, allowing creatives and executives to pour their passion 18 00:01:08,650 --> 00:01:12,840 into a single project rather than split their energy amongst various productions. 19 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:17,970 Bloys explained: "The reason we did multiple scripts, in the development process, [is because 20 00:01:17,970 --> 00:01:20,160 we knew] out of five we'd be lucky to get one we're excited about." 21 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,300 At least for now, fans will simply have to be satisfied with watching Goldman's series, 22 00:01:24,300 --> 00:01:29,950 said to follow Westeros' descent from the Golden Age of Heroes into a dark era that 23 00:01:29,950 --> 00:01:33,300 will alter everything we know about the fictional world's history, House Stark, and "the mysteries 24 00:01:33,300 --> 00:01:34,300 of the east." 25 00:01:34,300 --> 00:01:36,310 Will that be enough to quench their Thrones thirst? 26 00:01:36,310 --> 00:01:41,530 We don't know yet, but we do know some more details about Goldman's prequel series. 27 00:01:41,530 --> 00:01:45,910 After the Television Critics Association summer session on Wednesday, Bloys sat down with 28 00:01:45,910 --> 00:01:47,250 Deadline to discuss the prequel in more detail. 29 00:01:47,250 --> 00:01:51,400 He revealed that the project will feature an ensemble cast and highlight strong female 30 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:52,400 characters. 31 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,190 He also noted that, despite what some may assume with a female showrunner like Goldman 32 00:01:56,190 --> 00:02:01,730 on board, the prequel that centers on Westeros' fall from the Golden Age of Heroes won't have 33 00:02:01,730 --> 00:02:05,740 a female lead in the same way that Game of Thrones has a male lead in Kit Harington's 34 00:02:05,740 --> 00:02:06,860 Jon Snow. 35 00:02:06,860 --> 00:02:10,129 Bloys explained: "There are very strong female characters but it's an ensemble, there [are] 36 00:02:10,129 --> 00:02:12,359 men and women [...] Jane is a very good writer. 37 00:02:12,359 --> 00:02:15,150 We don't want to limit her to writing female leads. 38 00:02:15,150 --> 00:02:18,780 There are a lot of very complicated leads in [the pilot]." 39 00:02:18,780 --> 00:02:23,550 Game of Thrones is known for its complex female characters, including Maisie Williams' sword-swinging 40 00:02:23,550 --> 00:02:28,69 Arya Stark, Lena Headey's power-hungry Cersei Lannister, and Gwendoline Christie's strong-yet-sweet 41 00:02:28,69 --> 00:02:32,90 Brienne of Tarth, but the show has also sparked controversy for its portrayal of some of its 42 00:02:32,90 --> 00:02:33,90 leading ladies. 43 00:02:33,90 --> 00:02:38,739 For years, viewers have criticized the way showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have 44 00:02:38,739 --> 00:02:42,90 presented the series' women, calling for the creatives to "stop punishing" them with public 45 00:02:42,90 --> 00:02:45,989 humiliation and physical and sexual violence. 46 00:02:45,989 --> 00:02:49,180 Bloys touched on the fact that the untitled spin-off won't overwork itself trying to tie 47 00:02:49,180 --> 00:02:54,139 up any potential threads left loose by Game of Thrones or answer all the questions fans 48 00:02:54,139 --> 00:02:55,420 of the series might have. 49 00:02:55,420 --> 00:03:00,549 Instead, it will make the most of being its own entity, one that features all the same 50 00:03:00,549 --> 00:03:04,489 drama, tension, and shocks everyone loves in Game of Thrones, while still standing separate 51 00:03:04,489 --> 00:03:06,110 from the original fantasy epic. 52 00:03:06,110 --> 00:03:11,120 Bloys elaborated: "Jane did not go into that wanting to answer anything about Game of Thrones; 53 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,950 it was the story that spoke to her. 54 00:03:13,950 --> 00:03:17,99 [...] It will feel very different because it's 8,000 years before, it's a very different 55 00:03:17,99 --> 00:03:20,510 setting, a very different time in Westeros. 56 00:03:20,510 --> 00:03:22,900 It will feel different but still Game of Thrones." 57 00:03:22,900 --> 00:03:26,719 Overall, this newness shouldn't scare you off, diehard Game of Thrones fans. 58 00:03:26,719 --> 00:03:30,989 Goldman actually created the spin-off series with George R.R. Martin based on a story the 59 00:03:30,989 --> 00:03:34,440 two developed together, so you can rest assured that the prequel is in capable hands. 60 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,590 How exactly those hands will shape the project, we can't predict, but we're hoping the end 61 00:03:39,590 --> 00:03:40,639 result is swell.