Three More 'Game Of Thrones' Spin-Offs In Development At HBO
Another week, another slew of Game of Thrones spin-offs that are in the works at HBO. As cameras are set to start rolling on the prequel series House of the Dragon, HBO is reportedly developing three new Game of Thrones spin-offs, each expanding a new corner of George R.R. Martin's fictional fantasy world.
Deadline reports that HBO is developing three new projects set within the world of Westeros and Essos (and maybe beyond). The three new series are: 9 Voyages (AKA Sea Snake), Flea Bottom, and 10,000 Ships.
A little explainer: 9 Voyages refers to the "Great Voyages" at sea made by Lord Corlys Velaryon (a distant relation of the Targaryens, also descended from ancient Valyria like them) and later his grandson, Lord Alyn Velaryon, aboard the ship Sea Snake. He journeyed from Westeros to cities in Essos like Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr, to far-off fabled lands like Asshai-by-the-Shadow, Yi Ti, Leng, and the frozen seas north of Westeros. It's a classic seafaring fantasy set-up and reportedly the project that's the farthest along, per Deadline. The Mentalist creator and Rome co-creator Bruno Heller is reportedly involved in this project alongside Martin.
The second project is set in the maze-like King's Landing slum of Flea Bottom, which was featured prominently in the first four seasons of Game of Thrones — Arya fled there after escaping the Red Keep and Robert Baratheon's bastard Gendry was born there. There aren't details yet on the story or characters involved in the Flea Bottom series, but it honestly sounds like the least appealing one; how could you tell a compelling story set in the slums of King's Landing — however maze-like they are — without being tempted to explore the rest of King's Landing and the palace intrigue that made Game of Thrones such a big hit?
The last show being explored by HBO is 10,000 Ships, which refers to the journey made by Princess Nymeria and the surviving Rhoynars (after their defeat in an ancient war with Valyria in Essos) to Dorne, about 1,000 years before the events of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels. Wedding herself to the Martell family, Princess Nymeria would unite and become the ruling sovereign of Dorne and turn it into the rich kingdom we see in Game of Thrones. Fans of Game of Thrones probably recognize the name by Arya's wolf, who the Stark girl named after the famous warrior queen. You can watch the animated exploits of Nymeria from one of the Game of Thrones special features, below.
The most promising of these are 9 Voyages (who doesn't love a good seafaring pirate show?) and 10,000 Ships, the latter of which could finally flesh out the under-explored kingdom of Dorne (as long as none of the troubling ethnic stereotypes that popped up in Game of Thrones don't stick around).
It might sound like HBO is jumping the gun on Game of Thrones spin-offs, but who can blame them when Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga offers such a rich well of storytelling ideas, and when cinematic/TV universes are all the rage right now? These three new projects join already developing projects like a Dunk & Egg adaptation (meh) and a possible animated series (yes) for HBO Max. It's just a matter of whether HBO can win back the audience that was supremely disappointed by the Game of Thrones finale.