George R.R. Martin might be busy finishing up The Winds of Winter, but the Game of Thrones creator has various other projects in the works. The prolific author is the brilliant mind behind the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which became the basis of one of the most acclaimed TV series in history. The title was such a success for HBO during its eight-season run that the network has strengthened the partnership with Martin in the hopes of developing equally as popular content.
While Martin's name will always be linked to Game of Thrones, he's also written or edited dozens of stories since his professional career started in the early '70s. In 1984, the author tried his hand in the entertainment industry, serving as a writer on the horror anthology series The Hitchhiker. After working on an episode of The Twilight Zone, Martin expanded his career even further, becoming a producer on the CBS series Beauty and the Beast. He also executive produced the TV adaptation of his sci-fi novella Nightflyers in 2018 after it was made into a move in 1987.
Since Game of Thrones came to an end in 2019, longtime fans of the series remained hopeful at the fact that Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series was still ongoing. Coincidentally, the HBO series bypassed the source material despite the author's promises that The Winds of Winter would be out by now. The sixth installment of the book series has been in development for over a decade, and once that comes out, work will need to get started on the presumed final novel, A Dream of Spring. The waits for those publishing dates could be delayed even longer considering the number of other projects Martin is working on, specifically for TV.
Out of all the Game of Thrones spinoffs in the works, House of the Dragon is the furthest along in development. The series, set to debut on HBO Max in 2022, serves as a prequel, documenting the beginning of the end for House Targaryen's reign. Starring Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, and Emma D'Arcy, House of the Dragon is based on content from Martin's Fire and Blood novel. The author currently serves as an executive producer on the series as part of his five-year partnership deal with HBO and HBO Max, worth somewhere in the mid-eight figures range.
Another series in development set within Martin's fictional Game of Thrones' world is Tales of Dunk and Egg. The prequel novella from Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series follows the future Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Duncan the Tall, aka "Dunk," and the future king, Aegon V Targaryen, better known as "Egg" for his egg-shaped head. Set nearly a century before the events of the first Game of Thrones novel, HBO announced plans to adapt the Tales of Dunk and Egg short stories with the help of Martin.
In addition to House of the Dragon and the Tales of Dunk and Egg series, Martin is involved in creating four other Game of Thrones-related projects for HBO and HBO Max. As for the latter, the WarnerMedia streaming service is considering an animated Game of Thrones series. So far, there are no details announced regarding the plot's focus or news on the potential creative team. As for the other ideas being mulled at HBO, the first is Bruno Heller's 9 Voyages, a tale centered on seamen Corlys Velaryon's journeys on the Sea Snake. Then there's 10,000 ships, a show about the voyages taken by Princess Nymeria before she found Dorne. Last but not least, a show set in Flea Botton is reportedly in the works. The slum of King's Landing was memorably featured in multiple seasons of Game of Thrones. Martin is expected to be involved in all the above-mentioned projects as part of his HBO content creation deal.
If six Game of Thrones spinoff projects wasn't enough, Martin is currently developing a Broadway play based on the live-action adaptation of his A Song of Ice and Fire series. Unlike the aforementioned projects, the dramatic stage production will feature notable characters from the original TV series. More specifically, it will center on The Great Tourney at Harrenhal, a key moment in Westeros' history that took place 16 years before the show's events. Noted as the biggest tournament in Westeros' history, the Great Tourney of Harrenhal featured appearances by Ned Stark, Rhaegar Targaryen, Howland Reed, Lyanna Stark, Jaime Lannister, and Robert Baratheon. Shortly after the events, Rhaegar was presumed to have abducted Lyanna, but it was later confirmed the pair eloped. Martin is writing the play's story alongside playwright Duncan MacMillan. In addition to Broadway, the play stage production is expected to debut in London's West End and Australia, with a launch planned for 2023.
Aside from various Game of Thrones-related projects, Martin is involved in other titles outside of the Westeros realm. One of which is an HBO adaptation of Who Fears Death, a 2010 sci-fi fantasy novel by author Nnedi Okorafor. The story is set in the post-apocalyptic Sudan, where a young woman named Onyesowu goes on a journey of self-discovery. A TV series based on the novel has been in development since 2017, with Martin on board to executive produce. In early 2021, it was announced Tessa Thompson's new production company, Viva Maude, is backing Who Fears Death as part of the actress's deal with HBO and HBO Max. There's no word yet on who will star in the series.
In 2021, it was also announced Martin is heavily involved in bringing Roger Zelazny's sci-fi novel Roadmarks to the small screen. In fact, Martin is working with TV writer/director Kalinda Vazquez to develop the project for HBO. Published in 1979, Roadmarks centers on a highway that can travel through time. The certain exits on the highway lead to different moments in history, allowing people to rewrite the timeline. Game of Thrones fans will also be happy to hear the possibility of dragons returning to the network with Roadmarks. Martin previously helped adapt Zelazny's Last Defender of Camelot for The Twilight Zone in the mid-'80s.
Not all of Martin's upcoming TV projects will be set for HBO or HBO Max, considering the recent updates surrounding the Wild Cards adaptation. Consisting of books and short series, Wild Cards is set in a shared superhero universe during an alternate timeline following WWII. Specifically, the stories center on humans infected with an alien virus that can rewrite DNA, with some gaining superhuman abilities and others acquiring crippling conditions. Martin served as an editor on the series that included more than 40 authors. Originally set for Hulu with Martin producing, the TV adaptation has recently found a new home on Peacock.
In the Lost Lands marks the only source material intended for a feature film with Martin involved. Confirmed in early 2021, Martin's fantasy short story from 1982 will be brought to life on the big screen with Paul W.S. Anderson set to direct. The story follows a sorceress, Gray Alys, who is guided by a drifter named Boyce after being hired for a special journey. Milla Jovovich has signed on to play Alys, while Dave Bautista is set to portray Boyce in the film, which will feature the duo facing off with demons. There has been no announcement regarding a release date for this particular Martin project.
To cover all bases, Martin will also see his name attached to a video game in the near future with the release of Elden Ring. The action role-playing game is coming from the same studio that produced Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki is creating the dark fantasy game in collaboration with George R.R. Martin. Despite being in development since 2017, there's still no release date for the title set to release on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
https://ift.tt/3dBKBSx
April 04, 2021 at 05:30AM
