Previously Canceled Game of Thrones Spin-Off Now Back in the Works, GRRM Claims
Our ship might yet sail, folks! Or, rather, ships. 10,000 of them, to be precise.
The overwhelming success of Game of Thrones predictably created a special kind of rush over at HBO. Countless screenwriters are trying their luck, rigorously penning and pitching their spin-off and prequel ideas, and George Martin and the HBO executives have to go through them all, turning down… Pretty much everything.
One promising spin-off that was previously canceled, however, might still sail!
HBO Turned Down GRRM-Approved Prequel
When it comes to Game of Thrones, the best spin-off ideas are often prequels. George Martin made sure to create vast and captivating history for Westeros and Essos, with many compelling and intriguing historical figures fans would love to see on their screens. Warrior-Queen Nymeria has always been one of them, and writer Brian Helgeland decided to adapt her story, 10,000 Ships, for a spin-off.
HBO didn’t pick up his idea, despite his having George Martin’s full support.
“[10,000 Ships’ script] came out great, but I think [HBO] felt the period of my show was too far removed from the pillars of the original. That’s why it hasn’t been picked up yet, but nothing is ever dead. <...> I met with George R.R. Martin to pitch him the idea, which he signed off on,” Helgeland told Inverse.
10,000 Ships Will Still Sail, According to GRRM
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Like many Martin fans, we were properly bummed to learn that 10,000 Ships hadn’t gotten the green light from the HBO executives. But as it turns out, Brian Helgeland was right when he said that “nothing is ever dead.” George Martin recently took to his Not a Blog to congratulate Eboni Booth for winning the Pulitzer Prize for her play Primary Truth — and shared some spectacular news while he was at it!
“[Eboni] has been kept busy by me and HBO, working on a new pilot for 10,000 Ships, a Game of Thrones spin-off about Nymeria and the Rhoynar. We’re all very excited about this one… Though we’re still trying to figure out how we’re going to pay for ten thousand ships, three hundred dragons, and those giant turtles,” GRRM wrote.
Just like that, he dropped this bombshell of a news piece: 10,000 Ships is back in development, and it seemingly has gotten its first green light. Brian Helgeland’s idea must have worked out, and now award-winning screenwriter Eboni Booth is working on the pilot episode! Exciting, exciting, exciting. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Source: George Martin via Not a Blog