Believe it or not, we’ve been without a new episode of “Game of Thrones” for going on two full years. And if you want to talk about a “good” episode of “Game of Thrones,” you may even want to go back further, depending on which fans you talk to. Either way, it’s been a bit since audiences have visited Westeros, but it doesn’t seem like they’re going to have to wait much longer, as the franchise is expanding with a new live-action spinoff, as well as more (including an animated series) in development. But according to the HBO/HBO Max boss, Casey Bloys, explained, fans shouldn’t be concerned about too much “Game of Thrones.”
READ MORE: ‘Games Of Thrones’: HBO Developing ‘Tales of Dunk & Egg’ Spin-Off & Many More To Come
Speaking at this year’s TCA panel (via Deadline), Bloys opened up about the current status of the first “Game of Thrones” spinoff that’s likely making it to air, “House of the Dragon,” and what lies ahead for George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world.
“We’re thrilled with Miguel [Sapochnik] and Ryan [Condal], their collaboration and their collaboration with us, and excited to get going,” said Bloys about the live-action “House of the Dragon” spinoff that is about to begin filming. “That’s all moving ahead and we are excited about that.”
But, let’s be real, “House of the Dragon” is old news. Recently, it was revealed that HBO is developing a live-action series based on the “Dunk and Egg” stories and an animated series also set in Westeros. And with the already-failed pilot, it’s clear that Bloys is trying to quickly expand the world of “Game of Thrones” for HBO and its streaming platform, HBO Max. And the executive isn’t stopping now.
READ MORE: HBO Max Considering Animated ‘Game of Thrones’ Series As They Begin Meeting With Writers
“We’ve been talking about areas to develop, which is where this prequel came from,” the exec said. “We are talking about other areas that make sense as well. George R.R. Martin’s world is so big and what’s interesting about it, not only is it big but he’s got a lot of road maps in terms of history. So one of the great things about ‘House of the Dragon’ is that’s an established history that leads you to ‘Game of Thrones’ the show, and there is a lot of little branches. There are a lot of opportunities and stories to tell.”
So, how much “Game of Thrones” content can you expect in the future? The quick answer is “no one knows.” The longer answer, Bloys explained, is harder to pin down.
“In terms of the right number, I’d say the number is the shows that are good,” he said. “I’d rather get scripts good and make them stories worth telling than shoot for a certain number of shows. I don’t necessarily have a number in mind but the goal is always the same which is, let’s get in business with people we believe in and shows that believe in and worry about the rest later.”
Bloys added, “I’ve never wanted to do this with a mandate that you must have three series by this time or you must exploit adult animation or you must do that. It’s really coming from, would that be interesting, is that good, do we have a writer we believe in. That’s kind of the approach we are taking. I think you have to because if you don’t do that, it would lead to putting shows on for the sake of it.”
So, if you’re someone itching for more “Game of Thrones” content, you’re going to be excited to know that HBO/HBO Max is going to have plenty. At least, more than George R.R. Martin is likely going to produce (ZING). But it’ll be interesting to see what the saturation point for HBO and ‘Thrones’ content is going to be. Will fans be willing to follow it all like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or, since the original series is wrapped up, have they already moved on? We’ll find out soon enough.
