George R. R. Martin shares new details about the Game of Thrones prequel

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Now that the divisive and final season of GAME OF THRONES has delighted and disappointed fans across the world, those hungry for more high fantasy drama set in the treacherous territory of George R.R. Martin's Westeros are eager to hear more about the author's upcoming prequel series.

Thankfully, Entertainment Weekly recently spoke to the "kill your favorite characters" creator about the project from showrunner Jane Goldman, which is currently filming in Northern Ireland. Until today, very little was known about the next GAME OF THRONES offering, other than that the prequel series will take place 5,000 years before the events of the original story, and that none of the characters from the award winning series would be featured as a part of the new project. In describing the prequel, those close to its production have said it will explore “the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend… it’s not the story we think we know.”

When talking with EW about the prequel project, Martin revealed that Westeros will be divided into nearly 100 kingdoms for the new show:

“We talk about the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros; there were Seven Kingdoms at the time of Aegon’s Conquest,” Martin says. “But if you go back further then there are nine kingdoms, and 12 kingdoms, and eventually you get back to where there are a hundred kingdoms — petty kingdoms — and that’s the era we’re talking about here.” With so many factions hell bent on maintaining their hold on their respective lands, it's easy to see how Westeros could be an even more dangerous place than it was when just seven kingdoms were warring for the Iron Throne.

Martin also told the outlet that despite early reports, the show will include direwolves as well as members of the Stark family:

“The Starks will definitely be there,” said the Captain Ahab-looking author. He also let it be known that while the prequel predates dragons, that fans can look forward to meeting a plethora of new and exotic creatures. “Obviously the White Walkers are here — or as they’re called in my books, The Others — and that will be an aspect of it,” Martin says. “There are things like direwolves and mammoths.”

As their talk continued, Martin confessed that while the prequel has no plans to feature members of the Lannister family, that viewers can expect another family to be residing within the walls of what will one day be the Lannister hub of thievery, king slaying, and debts yet to be paid.

“The Lannisters aren’t there yet, but Castlery Rock is certainly there; it’s like the Rock of Gibraltar,” he says. “It’s actually occupied by the Casterlys — for whom it’s still named after in the time of Game of Thrones.” said Martin. As an addendum to the author's reveal, EW explained that the Casterlys were reportedly duped out of their monolithic home by Lann the Clever – who founded House Lannister. For the moment, it remains unclear if Martin and Goldman's prequel will explore this aspect of GAME OF THRONES history.

It's no secret that the female characters featured in HBO's GAME OF THRONES have walked a hard road throughout the show's eight, grueling seasons. For the prequel, Martin says that some can argue that ladies will lead the charge, even though plans are to present the project as more of an ensemble story.

“I hesitate to use the word ‘lead,’” Martin says. “As you know for Game of Thrones, we never even nominated anybody for lead actress or lead actor [during awards season] until recently; it was always for supporting [categories] because the show is such an ensemble. I think that will be true for this show too. We don’t have leads so much as a large ensemble cast.” Among the many faces fans can expect to see when the prequel series makes its way to the masses, stars Naomi Watts, Naomi Ackie, and Denise Gough will be among them.

Lastly, while it's been thought that the prequel will be titled The Long Night, Martin says that the show could be titled THE LONGEST NIGHT. While this isn't the author's preferred name for the new series, Martin says that he thinks the augmented version is "pretty good."

What do you all think of Goldman and Martin's plan for what could potentially be called THE LONGEST NIGHT? Are you excited to witness the horrific history of the White Walkers? If the series has no plans of featuring dragons, what other creatures of myth and legend do you think will roam the 100 Kingdoms of Westeros? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.