George RR Martin inks new overall deal with HBO
James R | On 27, Mar 2021
George RR Martin has inked an overall deal with HBO.
The agreement, which reportedly spans five years and is in the eight-figure region, will see the Game of Thrones author develop programming for the cable giant, and its streaming service HBO Max.
Martin licensed his A Song of Ice and Fire novels to HBO back in 2007, leading to the latter’s biggest series to date. Since then, not only has the wider industry clamoured to make fantasy epics to repeat its success – from Amazon’s Wheel of Time and The Lord of the Rings to Netflix’s The Witcher – but Martin has also expanded his screen presence, from Wild Cards in the works at NBC’s US-based Peacock to the now-cancelled Nightflyers that aired on SyFy and Netflix.
HBO, meanwhile, has been doubling down on the Game of Thrones franchise, with no fewer than five TV projects currently in the works – not to mention the previous Thrones prequel that wasn’t greenlit after going to pilot. Martin is working as an exec-producer on each project, with the new deal extending his overall deal first inked with HBO in 2013. Martin is also exec-producing Who Fears Death and Roadmarks for HBO.
Here’s the rundown of Thrones projects currently in the works at HBO:
House of the Dragon, telling the story of House Targaryen 300 years before Game of Thrones, starring Olivia Cooke, Paddy Considine, Matt Smith and with Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik on board.
10,000 Ships, a project centred on warrior queen Nymeria, an ancestor of House Martell who founded the kingdom of Dorne. Set approximately 1,000 years before Game of Thrones.
9 Voyages, following Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka The Sea Snake and head of House Velaryon, who also appears in House of the Dragon and played by Steve Toussaint. Rome creator Bruno Heller is behind the project.
Flea Bottom, set in the King’s Landing slum and delving into the criminal underworld of the city.
Tales of Dunk and Egg, a project based on the popular novellas following hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his squire (Egg), who later becomes King Aegon V Targaryen.
There is also an animated series reportedly in the works.