As Game of Thrones is heading into the final chapters of its eight-season run on HBO, the premium cable network has revealed some information about its succession plan, signing deals with four writers to join George R.R. Martin in the development and writing of four GOT offshoot series.

The network would not specify whether the series would be prequels, sequels, spinoffs or companion series to GoT — or all of the above — only noting that each project would “explore different time periods of George R. R. Martin’s vast and rich universe” in his epic fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire.

GoT creators/executive producers Dan Weiss and David Benioff, who are finishing up the upcoming seventh season and already are in the midst of writing and preparing for the series’ eighth and final season, are attached as executive producers on all projects alongside Martin but will not be involved in the writing.

The four potential GoT offshoot series will be written by:

Max Borenstein (Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island)

Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Kingsman and X-Men franchises), George R. R. Martin

Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, A Knights Tale)

Carly Wray (AMC’s Mad Man), George R. R. Martin


HBO stresses that all four projects are in development. There is no set timetable for them, and they will be evaluated when the scripts are completed.

It is logical to assume that the network would like to have a new GoT-themed series launch behind the final season of the blockbuster mothership show.

HBO brass had hinted about trying to expand the popular GoT franchise with additional series, including a possible prequel or spinoff. Martin, who is under an overall deal at HBO, also had been alluding to new projects he has in the works at the network.

As filming continues on the final (and likely supersized) six episodes of Game Of Thrones for a 2019 run, work also is under way on the five proposed prequels of the blockbuster fantasy series, which will not feature GOT characters. But don’t expect the last season of Game Of Thrones to be used to tee off a prequel.

“There is not going to be anything in any scenario where we have any sort of prequel air for at least a year after that,” HBO president Casey Bloys told Deadline at TCA. “I want the final season of Game of Thrones to be the final season of Game Of Thrones, I don’t want to use it to launch something else, I want it to stand as the finale of the greatest tv show of all time, I don’t want to do anything that infringes on that.”

While HBO is putting some distance between the end of Game of Thrones and the launch of a potential prequel series, a pilot for an offshoot could be filmed before that, Bloys said.

As for how many GOT prequel series HBO may go with, “anywhere form zero to five but probably more likely around one,” Bloys said. “I’m happy with what I’m seeing but don’t have a time table yet in terms of how we’re going to make decision.”

Bloys also addressed the big gap between the last two installments of GOT, saying that it was dictated by the creators. He noted that the final episodes feature bigger battles, more and more elaborate special effects, and the storyline requires linear filming that take longer to complete. The length of each episode is TBD.

There is no update on the followup HBO series from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Confederate, which stirred controversy with its subject matter, involving modern-day slavery.

“Dave and David are in production on Game of Thrones, they are still talking (about Confederate) but it’s going to be a year year, year and a half before there is anything,” Bloys said. “They have to finish GOT.” He confirmed that the project’s creative team, which also includes co-writers Nichelle Tramble Spellman and Malcolm Spellman, remains intact.

The first official details on the other potential “Game of Thrones” shows have emerged.

HBO has given a pilot order to a prequel series from writer Jane Goldman, one of five “Game of Thrones” projects that has been in the works.

Taking place thousands of years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” Goldman’s series chronicles 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.

Goldman co-created the project with George R.R. Martin, whose “A Song of Ice and Fire” novel series serves as the basis for “Game of Thrones.” Goldman and Martin wrote the story, with Goldman writing the teleplay. She will also serve as showrunner. She and Martin will executive produce along with Daniel Zelman and “Game of Thrones” executive producer Vince Gerardis.

Goldman is a British screenwriter and producer. Her past screenwriting credits include “Stardust,” “Kick Ass,” “X-Men: First Class” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle.” She is also attached to write the live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” and “Kingsman 3.” Goldman is also the author of several best-selling non-fiction books, and is a co-creator of the annual comedy special “The Big Fat Quiz of the Year” for the UK’s Channel 4.

She is repped by WME in the United States and Independent Talent Group in the United Kingdom.

Other than Goldman, the other writers working on potential “Game of Thrones” spinoffs are: Max Borenstein, Brian Helgeland, Carly Wray, and Bryan Cogman.

The exact nature of the plot of each project has been kept under tight wraps, though Martin has previously made clear that each project is a prequel rather than a spinoff and that none of the current main cast of the series will be involved. He has also ruled out fan theories that any of them will focus on his characters Ser Duncan the Tall and Aegon the Unlikely, or Dunk and Egg as they are popularly known. He has also said that Robert’s Rebellion will not be the subject of any of the prequels.

News of the pilot order comes as fans are eagerly awaiting the eighth and final season of “Game of Thrones,” which is expected to launch in summer 2019. The series is not only HBO’s most-watched original by a wide margin, but one of the most-watched shows on all of television. Season 7 of the series broke multiple ratings records for the network last year.