There’s been both good and bad news for George RR Martin this week.
The Game of Thrones creator welcomed Tuesday’s announcement (29 October) by HBO that House of the Dragon, a new prequel series based on his GoT novels, has been confirmed.
However, the elation from HBO’s order of that series was counterbalanced somewhat by the news that the network would not be moving forward with another prequel, the provisionally titled Bloodmoon.
Having shot its pilot episode in Northern Ireland earlier this year, Bloodmoon had been set to star the likes of Naomi Watts, Miranda Richardson and John Simm.
Martin has now expressed his disappointment with the axing of Bloodmoon, writing on his personal blog that it ‘goes without saying that I was saddened to hear the show would not be going to series’.
‘Jane Goldman is a terrific screenwriter, and I enjoyed brainstorming with her,’ Martin wrote.
‘I do not know why HBO decided not to go to series on this one, but I do not think it had to do with House of the Dragon. This was never an either/or situation.’
Martin added that he believes TV has enough room for more Game of Thrones stories given the multiple ‘CSIs and Chicago shows’ that are on rotation.
‘Westeros and Essos are a lot bigger [than CSI/Chicago], with thousands of years of history and enough tales and legends and characters for a dozen shows,’ he declared.
Martin concluded by wishing Goldman and her team the best, and thanked them for their ‘hard work’.
‘Heartbreaking as it is to work for years on a pilot, to pour your blood and sweat and tears into it and have it come to nought, it’s not at all uncommon. I’ve been there myself, more than once.
‘I know Jane and her team are feeling the disappointment just now, and they have all my sympathy.’
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