Naomi Watts-led Game of Thrones prequel cancelled by HBO
Although the Game of Thrones prequel pilot was filmed and in editing, HBO decided to cancel the series earlier this week.
Game of Thrones fans: I have good news and bad news.
Let’s just pull off the band-aid with the bad news. The anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series starring Naomi Watts seems to be dead before it was even born.
Greenlit back in June 2018, the yet-to-be-named series was to take place thousands of years before the Thrones’ story we have come to know. Jane Goldman and creator George R. R. Martin had worked hard on a script and it was already in production.
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According to Deadline, the pilot was in editing when Goldman began emailing the cast and crew letting them know they it was dead. But apparently, the pilot was already edited once before but “was not well received.” There were also reports of issues during filming.
Not that that’s the reason the pilot was rejected.
Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss called their pilot a mess and said that they had to re-shoot almost the entire episode.
I bet you’re wondering what the good news is.
HBO ordered 10 episodes of House of Dragon, which will explore House Targaryen about 300 years before the events and times of the Game of Thrones characters we know and love. Martin will also be involved with this series, as well as Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. You may know Sapochnik from directing three of Thrones’ most popular episodes, like “Battle of the Bastards” and “Hardhome.”
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I have to say, I am more excited about a Targaryen-centric series than one set thousands of years in the past. Maybe they can cast Watts in a role since she’ll be available now!