The world George R.R. Martin created is no longer anchored to a single story or even a single creative vision. Instead, it exists as a growing array of projects, some already finding their footing, others still circling the runway. And if Martin is to be believed, this moment is less about closure and more about deciding what kind of future the franchise actually wants.
In recent interviews, including a candid conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Martin has spoken more openly than ever about where Game of Thrones stands as an ongoing property. The takeaway is clear. HBO is not done with Westeros. Not even close. At least five or six series connected to the franchise are currently in development, most of them prequels, with a handful of sequel ideas still being quietly discussed. What remains uncertain is how closely those projects will align with Martin’s own instincts, and how much influence he will retain as the world continues to expand.
Right now, the clearest sign of forward momentum is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Based on Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg, the series has arrived with far less noise than House of the Dragon, but with considerably more goodwill. Early reactions have been positive, with audiences responding to its smaller scale and its focus on people rather than power. Set decades before the events of Game of Thrones, the story follows Ser Duncan the Tall and his young squire Egg, in a time where dragons are part of living memory, but not realy, and will not be for another brisk 100 years.
Martin has spoken enthusiastically about the project, and his confidence appears rooted in preparation. Unlike Game of Thrones, which eventually outpaced its source material, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is built on finished stories. More than that, Martin has revealed that he shared outlines for a number of unpublished Dunk and Egg tales with the creative team. That means the series is not just adapting what already exists, but quietly laying the groundwork for a longer run, one that does not require inventing an ending on the fly.
That sense of creative stability stands in sharp contrast to Martin’s recent comments about House of the Dragon. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the author described a working relationship that has deteriorated significantly since the show’s early days. While Martin was heavily involved during initial development and once praised showrunner Ryan Condal as a partner, he says that collaboration broke down during work on the second season.
According to Martin, his notes were increasingly ignored, and he was eventually instructed by HBO to stop communicating directly with Condal and instead route feedback through intermediaries. The experience left him frustrated and disconnected. He described the relationship as “abysmal” and admitted that the series no longer felt like his story.
Those remarks followed a now-deleted blog post in which Martin criticized certain narrative decisions. Reports suggest the post was removed after pressure from the network, reinforcing the sense that creative differences had reached a breaking point. While Martin has not disowned House of the Dragon, his comments confirmed that his role within the project has shifted from collaborator to observer.
Still, Martin has been careful to frame these tensions as part of a larger process rather than an endpoint. His dissatisfaction with one show has not diminished his belief in Westeros as a living world. In fact, he has been explicit that HBO’s plans extend well beyond the two series currently on the air.
“Aside from The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon, there are other spinoff projects in development,” Martin said. “Most are prequels. There are several in development, five or six series. And yes, there are some sequels.”
That confirmation is significant. After Game of Thrones ended, HBO appeared cautious, canceling pilots like Bloodmoon and quietly shelving others. Now, the network seems more willing to experiment again, even if it means embracing projects that look and feel very different from the original show.
Several of the rumored prequels focus on long-teased chapters of Westerosi history. A series about Aegon the Conqueror would depict the brutal unification of the Seven Kingdoms. 10,000 Ships would follow Princess Nymeria and the Rhoynar migration, a story about exile, survival, and reinvention. Other concepts, including Nine Voyages and The Golden Empire, would venture beyond Westeros itself, exploring regions only briefly mentioned in the books.
There is also a practical reason these ideas keep moving forward. Much of Westeros’ past has clear endpoints. The Dance of the Dragons ends where it ends. Aegon’s Conquest reshapes the continent in known ways. That structure gives writers a map, something the later seasons of Game of Thrones lacked once the books ran out.
Sequels, on the other hand, remain more complicated. The most visible attempt was Snow, a Jon Snow-centered continuation that Kit Harington confirmed was shelved in early 2024. At the time, Harington explained that the creative team could not find a story that felt necessary. For many fans, that seemed definitive.
But as with Johnson’s comments about future Knives Out installments, nothing is ever truly final. Later in the year, HBO chief Casey Bloys suggested the idea could be revisited, saying the network might “try again.” Martin has echoed that caution. He has not ruled out sequels, but he has acknowledged that any continuation would rely on outlines and new material rather than finished novels, a challenge that defined the final stretch of Game of Thrones.
Certain possibilities continue to hover in the background. Arya Stark sailing west of Westeros remains one of the show’s most open-ended conclusions. Martin once mentioned sharing a meal with Maisie Williams and hinted that they discussed something he preferred not to elaborate on. No project has been announced, but the implication was enough to keep speculation alive.
Other sequel ideas stem from unresolved consequences. Bran Stark’s reign raises questions about succession. Sansa Stark’s independent North introduces new political tensions. Drogon’s disappearance remains unexplained. Martin has also pointed out that prophecies like Azor Ahai were never fully explored on screen, leaving narrative doors ajar.
Also check: Benefits of Sustainable Skin-Care
The early success of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms may ultimately shape how HBO approaches these decisions. Its reception suggests that audiences are still invested in Westeros, but not unconditionally. They want stories that feel intentional, grounded, and thoughtfully constructed. They want a reason to return.
For Martin, this moment feels both hopeful and uneasy. He is watching his world continue to grow, even as he confronts how little control he sometimes has over its direction. His recent honesty suggests a creator who is still engaged, still imagining, but no longer pretending that adaptation is a simple act of translation.
For fans, the message mirrors that uncertainty. Game of Thrones did not end so much as it splintered. Its future is spread across timelines, characters, and creative visions. Some of those paths feel closer to the heart of Westeros than others. Which ones endure will depend not just on dragons or spectacle, but on whether the stories still feel worth telling.
