HBO ordered 10 episodes
of a "Game of Thrones" spinoff called "House of the Dragon," the
network said on Tuesday, shortly after reports emerged that the
premium cable channel had nixed another series set in the world
created by author George R.R. Martin.
"House of the Dragon" will take place 300 years before the
events of "Game of Thrones," a medieval fantasy series that
became a global phenomenon before it ended its eight-season run
in May.
The new series will be based on Martin's book "Fire & Blood"
and will tell the story of House Targaryen, HBO said.
The network announced "House of the Dragon" at an event
intended to stir enthusiasm for HBO Max, a streaming service
that will launch in May 2020 at $15 per month to compete with
Netflix Inc and Walt Disney Co.
HBO did not say when "House of the Dragon" would become
available.
Earlier on Tuesday, Hollywood publications reported that HBO
had scrapped plans for a "Game of Thrones" prequel starring
Naomi Watts. A source familiar with the decision confirmed the
reports were accurate.
The reason for the decision was unclear.
A pilot, or first episode, for the show, was shot in
Northern Ireland earlier this year. The story was set thousands
of years before the events covered in "Game of Thrones."
Casey Bloys, president of programming at HBO, had told
reporters in July after filming finished on the pilot episode
that he was pleased with what he had seen.
"It looks really good. The cast was amazing," Bloys said at
a Television Critics Association event in Beverly Hills.
The final season of "Game of Thrones" won 12 Emmy awards,
including the top prize of best drama series, in September.
The pilot for the prequel was one of several "Game of
Thrones"-related projects that were put into development at HBO
prior to the end of the series.