George R.R. Martin confirms number of Game of Thrones prequels

We’ve known for a while now that HBO is developing a number of Game of Thrones prequel shows to air sometime after the flagship show is over. The network has retained several writers to work on the projects: Max Borenstein (Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island), Jane Goldman (Kingsman: The Golden Circle, X-Men: First Class), Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential, Mystic River) and Carly Wray (Mad Men, The Bastard Executioner). Details are still scarce, but Goldman has said that the series she’s working on will be “recognizable as a past event” to fans.

There’s been some ambiguity regarding exactly how many shows are in development. Just looking at materials released by HBO, you’d probably guess four. They’ve hired four writers, which means four shows, right? But then A Song of Ice and Fire writer George R.R. Martin, who is involved to varying degrees in all of the shows, said in a blog post that there are actually five shows being worked on. Who to believe?

Yesterday, in a new blog post, he erased all doubt with a playful image. Quoth Martin: “Oh, about those successor shows…”

Well, that resolves that. Five shows it is.

Before you get too excited, note that all this means is that HBO is developing five shows — there’s no guarantee that it will end up making five. Technically, there’s no guarantee they’ll end up making one, although we’d be shocked if they didn’t. Basically, it sounds like HBO is having five scripts written. Once they’re done, the network will likely choose the one (maybe two) they like best and make it into a TV series.

What will the shows be about? That remains a mystery, although we know that Robert’s Rebellion and The Tales of Dunk and Egg are off the table.

In other George R.R. Martin news, a couple of outlets mistranslated a quote from him and reported that he doesn’t watch Game of Thrones. So he came forward and said that he does. Glad we got that cleared up.