Talk of a Game of Thrones prequel (or five, rather) started last spring. Now, fans will be happy to know that HBO’s first Game of Thrones prequel will reportedly kick off filming in Ireland by February 2019. The pilot was ordered back in June.
This is good news considering rumors of a bloody and shocking conclusion to Game of Thrones season 8 hasn’t made the long wait for next year’s air date any easier.
We know Game of Thrones’ final season will contain six feature-length episodes and that filming has already wrapped.
Joe Dempsie, who plays Gendry on the show, told Metro in June that security was tight on set. “Your filming dates are on a need to know basis. You don’t get hard copies of scripts anymore. They are all on this special app. Which are triple locked. The level of security has upped massively.”
As we dream about GoT’s closing chapter (and Jon Snow) here’s everything we know about the Game of Thrones prequel so far.
Game of Thrones prequel plot
The Game of Thrones prequel will reportedly take place thousands of years before the events of Westeros. According to a HBO synopsis, it chronicles the “the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. 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, only one thing is for sure: it’s not the story we think we know.”
Author George RR Martin revealed on his website that the Game of Thrones prequel is scripted by screenwriter Jane Goldman, who worked on The Woman in Black and Kingsman: The Secret Service.
HBO has greenlit the first of the GoT successor shows, scripted by the amazing Jane Goldman. To clarify, what we have here is a pilot order, not as yet a series order. Everybody else has already broken the news, but you can follow the link to read on https://t.co/lpP5KmQkMI pic.twitter.com/72WdHBtaYM
— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) June 11, 2018
Game of Thrones prequel title
The Game of Thrones prequel trailer will not be available anytime soon since casting is still in the works.
However, we know the official title is The Long Night, which Martin confirmed via Twitter in late October. He said back in June that HBO “will want to work the phrase ‘Game of Thrones’ in there somewhere.” Looks like The Long Night stuck.
Game of Thrones prequel cast
Martin confirmed that this new series will have a different cast than Game of Thrones, so no Emilia Clarke, Maisie Williams or Kit Harington (bye-bye Jon Snow).
Martin wrote on his website: “None of the characters or actors from Game of Thrones will appear in the new show. All of the successor shows we’ve been developing have been prequels, as I have mentioned before. This one really puts the pre in prequel.”
So far we know that Naomi Watts is on board as one of the stars. According to HBO, her character is a “charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret.”
Casting is now underway for THE LONG NIGHT, the first of the GAME OF THRONES successor series to ordered to film. HBO has just announced the first cast member: NAOMI WATTS is coming on board as one of our stars. https://t.co/n0XkxsJG03 pic.twitter.com/uNF5mjPNte
— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) October 31, 2018
Another lead role is going to British actor Josh Whitehouse, according to Deadline.
Game of Thrones prequel release date
This Game of Thrones prequel series reportedly won’t hit screens until sometime in 2020.
For everything we know about Game of Thrones season 8, click through to Metro’s handy guide. Good things come to those who wait.
