In 2015, George R.R. Martin expressed two primary concerns: the potential for future HBO series based on his work, and his ability to complete his A Song of Ice and Fire novels. Ten years later, his concerns about the franchise's survival have been addressed.
Westeros Universe Expansion
The Game of Thrones universe has expanded significantly with successful spin-offs. House of the Dragon has released its third season, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on Martin's "Dunk and Egg" novellas, is set to premiere. Multiple other Westeros-based projects are in development at HBO, alongside a London West End stage play. Martin is also an executive producer for AMC's Dark Winds and collaborated on the video game Elden Ring. He is a founding investor in the immersive art experience Meow Wolf.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, offers a different tone from its predecessors. It focuses on Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg, set primarily at a jousting tournament in a rural area of Westeros. Martin serves as co-creator and executive producer, maintaining significant creative involvement in the writing process. The show features a more modest budget and lacks dragons or large-scale battles. Season one adapts "The Hedge Knight," and season two will adapt "The Sworn Sword." A potential challenge for the series' future is Martin's limited number of completed "Dunk and Egg" novellas.
Development of Future Projects
Additional Game of Thrones universe projects are under consideration, including an animated series based on the Sea Snake character and a potential drama series or feature film about Aegon Targaryen's conquest of Westeros.
A previously reported Jon Snow sequel was initially put aside by HBO due to its somber narrative, which depicted Jon as a broken man with PTSD. Recent information suggests a new writer has joined the project, with discussions potentially shifting the setting to Essos and including the character Arya Stark. Martin has indicated that the endings of his books will differ significantly from the television series and has resisted further canonizing the show's ending.
Creative Disagreements and Control
Martin has consistently emphasized the importance of faithful book adaptations. He reportedly experienced a deterioration in his relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal during the second season, contrasting with their collaborative work on season one. Martin states that his notes and suggestions for season two were often not implemented. This led to a contentious period, including a blog post by Martin that publicly expressed some of his frustrations, which was later removed.
Sources indicate a Zoom call where Martin raised significant objections to Condal's vision for season three, reportedly stating, "This is not my story any longer." Following this, HBO requested Martin to step back from House of the Dragon for a period before he was brought back aboard. HBO acknowledges disagreements on the direction of season three and a need for a reset in communication.
The Winds of Winter
Martin continues to face fan pressure regarding the completion of The Winds of Winter, the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which has been in progress for 14 years. He has received online comments about his age and ability to finish the series. Martin has reflected on the deaths of several author friends and a meta-joke about his writing delays made by Robert Redford, who later passed away.
He has approximately 1,100 manuscript pages completed for The Winds of Winter but struggles with rewriting and managing the narrative complexity, which involves numerous viewpoint characters and intricate storylines. Martin attributes delays to distractions arising from his transition to a producer and celebrity role, as well as the demands of managing various projects. Despite the challenges, he states that failing to finish the book would feel like "a total failure." He has no plans to allow another writer to complete his work or a contingency plan in case he cannot finish. Martin acknowledges a sense of being constrained by the success of A Song of Ice and Fire, drawing a parallel to Frank Herbert's experience with Dune. He expresses a desire to finish the book once other commitments are resolved, noting he is "so far behind on everything."