Despite HBO’s most popular series,Game of Thrones,airing its final episode back in 2019, the network is nowhere near finished creating new stories that take place in George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy world. Currently, fans impatientlyawait season threeof the first of many spin-offs,House of the Dragon. However, few know that a prequel series calledBloodmoonwas originally supposed to air in its place — costing HBO a whopping $30 million for its failed pilot.
Bloodmoonwould have brought viewers thousands of years into the past to likely explore the events of The Long Night, provide more context for the controversial eighth season ofGame of Thrones, and present the origins of House Lannister and Casterly Rock. With showrunner and writer Jane Goldman, most known for fan-favoriteKingsman: The Secret Service,Madame Webdirector S.J. Clarkson, and Oscar-nominee Naomi Watts at the helm, the show promised incredible success. So, why wasBloodmoonabruptly canceled and replaced?
A Pilot without a Plane: Why HBO Canceled ‘Bloodmoon’
In 2018, ahead ofGame of Thrones’final seasonrelease the following year, HBO began preemptively developing a pilot for the prequel spin-off,Bloodmoon. Unfortunately, the showrunners couldn’t make it work. The series was supposed to be set around 8,000 years before the War of the Five Kings (predating the establishment of the noble houses audiences have grown to love) during the Age of Heroes. It would’ve focused on the White Walkers andthe Night King— giving much-needed insight into their lore. ThroughoutGame of Thrones’run, very little is explained about the origins or motivations of the major antagonists. A series focusing on them would’ve fleshed out the threats and, consequently, made them more compelling villains. But there was one problem:Bloodmoon’swriters hadno source material to pull from.
Without a George R. R. Martin book for inspiration, akin toGame of Thronesfinal season, showrunners struggled to create a well-received prequel pilot (let alone an entire show). According to James Andrew Miller’s bookTinderbox: HBO’s Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers, former WarnerMedia chairman Bob Greenblatt wasn’t impressed by the pilot despite reshoot after reshoot. Greenblatt explained that after seeing a cut, “I said to [HBO chief content officer] Casey [Bloys], ‘This just doesn’t work, and I don’t think it delivers on the premise of the original series.'” With immense pressure from fans to get it right, Greenblatt and Bloys then decided to scrap it and go in a different direction, one they hoped would appeal more to viewers. Ultimately, starting from scratch was risky and led toBloodmoon’sfailure to bring back theoriginal magic ofGame of Thrones.
George R.R. Martin’s Highly-Rated ’80s Fantasy Drama Series Is Nothing Like ‘Game of Thrones’
Decades before ‘Game of Thrones’ hit the screens, George R.R. Martin served as a writer and producer in a critically acclaimed fantasy show.
‘House of the Dragon’ Replaced ‘Bloodmoon’
The same day thatBloodmoonwas canceled in 2019, HBO greenlit a different prequel spin-off:House of the Dragon.The Targaryen-based show takes place much closer in time toGame of Thronesand focuses on civil war withinthe dragonlords’ house. Due to the $30 million spent on the canceled pilot, HBO sent the latter directly to series, hoping to avoid further financial loss. Plus, the writers had Martin’s 2018 bookFire & Blood, which covered the noble family’s past conflicts, to use as direct source material. Thus, creatingHouse of the Dragonwas a safer investment for HBO, and bypassing a pilot for the show saved the network from another costly mistake.
In Miller’s book, Greenblatt takes credit for the direct-to-series decision, “They made the first pilot because they were protecting their own downside and protecting that brand, which I understand, but it was critical that we somehow continue that franchise and move quickly, which meant getting the series into production ASAP.” WithHouse of the Dragon’ssuccessful ratingssince its release, it’s clear that it was the right choice to make. AlthoughBloodmoon’spremise would’ve provided the writers with a fresh start to tell a new story outside ofGame of Thrones’legacies, HBO’s final decision makes a lot of sense, especially after sinking so much money into the failed spin-off.
Is ‘Dune: Prophecy’ Just ‘Game of Thrones’ in Space? These Cameos Say Yes
Some recognizable faces are making the jump from Westeros to a distant galaxy.
‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Offs: What Fans Can Expect
House of the Dragonreleasedits secondseasonearlier this year, and the third is already on its way. Unfortunately, filming doesn’t start until early 2025, so there will likely be a long wait. Until then, fans can get excited about all the other potentialGame of Thronesspin-offs they can look forward to in the coming years.
First, there’sA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, a prequel series based on theTales of Dunk and Eggstories. The show is expected to premiere in late 2025 and focuses on the life of Dunk, a hedge knight, before he eventually becomes Ser Duncan the Tall, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.Another Targaryen prequel,Aegon’s Conquest, was also announced as a series adaptation of Martin’s bookFire & Blood.Requested heavily by fans, it will take place 300 years beforeGame of Thronesand follows Aegon the Conqueror’s brutal rise to power in Westeros.
Additionally, there are currently three spin-offs in early development. An adult-animated series calledThe Golden Empirewas announced back in 2021. The title refers to the Golden Empire of Yi Ti, which is in the far east of Essos. Unfortunately, there haven’t been many updates on its development since then. George R. R. Martin has spoken about another animated showin development,The Sea Snake, which will center around Corlys Velaryon and his epic voyages. Lastly,10,000 Ships,a prequel show set 1,000 years beforeGame of Thronesthat details the story of Princess Nymeria of the Rhoynar,has been in talks for years. A Westeros fable that Arya later names her direwolf after, would see the Princess leading her people to freedom after the Valyrian Freehold destroyed Rhoynar.
For now, fans must stick withGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragon.Both are currently streaming on Max.
