GAME OF THRONES Prequel Series Starring Naomi Watts Gets The Axe From HBO

GAME OF THRONES Prequel Series Starring Naomi Watts Gets The Axe From HBO

While that first Game of Thrones spinoff seemed all but guaranteed a few months ago when the pilot began filming, it appears that HBO will not be moving forward with the Naomi Watts-led prequel series...

By RohanPatel - Oct 29, 2019 02:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Game of Thrones
Source: Deadline
Deadline is reporting that HBO has decided not to move forward with their untitled Game of Thrones prequel series, which hailed from writer Jane Goldman and it was described as follows, "the 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."

The pilot, which was headlined by 2x Academy Award-nominee Naomi Watts (The Impossible), was filmed over the summer with much fanfare, but ultimately failed to make an impression on top HBO executives, who sent Goldman and the production team back into the editing room to make a number of changes. However, their efforts were for naught as the revised pilot proved to be equally unimpressive. 

Multiple inside sources also claim the project was troubled from the get-go, as it experienced budget overruns, numerous personnel issues and a myriad of creative differences, amongst other things. 

While this prequel may be dead, HBO is still developing their Targaryen-centric prequel series from George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal, which would take place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones and would follow the rise and fall of House Targaryen, using Martin's Fire & Blood book as its template.

HBO issued a pilot green light for the potential series in September, so will likely commence production sometime next Spring.
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Vanillain
Vanillain - 10/29/2019, 2:48 PM
"experienced budget overruns, numerous personnel issues and a myriad of creative differences, amongst other things"

I feel like that's what you'd get when everyone and their ego is trying to be the next big thing that follows GoT.
Nightmare
Nightmare - 10/29/2019, 2:56 PM
Bring back Taxicab Confessions!
L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 10/29/2019, 3:35 PM
@Nightmare - Now THIS is something I can get behind!

Bring it to HBOmax Adult section.
Forthas
Forthas - 10/29/2019, 2:56 PM
I can't believe they would just shut down Swampthing...uh... I mean....the game of Thrones Prequel like that. It is so unlike them!


Nightmare
Nightmare - 10/29/2019, 3:22 PM
@Forthas - Swamp Thing was actually good. This...idk.

E4Nigma
E4Nigma - 10/29/2019, 2:57 PM
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/29/2019, 2:58 PM
This is good news. HBO is still the best when it comes to quality control barring some exceptions.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 10/29/2019, 3:04 PM
@regularmovieguy
My thoughts exactly.

This is why the name "HBO" still means something.
L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 10/29/2019, 3:37 PM
@Doomsday8888 @regularmovieguy - couldn't agree more.

There's a reason they're calling it "HBOmax" and not something WB-related.
TheUnworthyThor
TheUnworthyThor - 10/29/2019, 3:03 PM
Damn. How bad was the pilot? You would think WB/HBO would be desperate to keep their golden goose laying them eggs and not let the world move on from Game of Thrones. Especially when they are launching their big streaming service next year. I mean Disney+ is coming. The Lord of the Rings show is coming. How bad could it have been that it couldn’t be reworked?
MUTO123
MUTO123 - 10/29/2019, 3:05 PM
IronGenesis
IronGenesis - 10/29/2019, 3:08 PM
What a drag. All that time. Even released some photos.
Nasseal82isback
Nasseal82isback - 10/29/2019, 3:09 PM
Gif of the party that is currently happening on r/freefolk. First David Benioff and D.B. Weiss leaving Star Wars and now this. Those bastards are grinning from ear to ear.
THEDARKKNIGHT1939
THEDARKKNIGHT1939 - 10/29/2019, 3:10 PM
Star Wars and Game of Thrones are dead to me now. We need something new.
Kumkani
Kumkani - 10/29/2019, 3:20 PM
Jane Goldman (an experienced writer) doesn't get the opportunity to redo her pilot episode and actually consulted GRRM for her show, but HBO gave two untalented, inexperienced and entitled trust fund kids several seasons to get better after an actual bad pilot episode.

Trash. And I was looking forward to this.
MUTO123
MUTO123 - 10/29/2019, 3:22 PM
Slightly OT: I always look forward to her rants.

Kumkani
Kumkani - 10/29/2019, 3:52 PM
@MUTO123 - Found a new subscription!
JohnCastillo
JohnCastillo - 10/29/2019, 3:24 PM
Didn't HBO allow D&D to completely re-do their pilot, even change actors.. I would have hoped they'd do the same for Goldman's pilot but you know this along with D&D not doing Star Wars anymore.. i'm starting to wonder whether the awful ending of GoT has hurt them and the franchise
SerKurtWagner
SerKurtWagner - 10/29/2019, 3:35 PM
@JohnCastillo - Not to jump to conclusions... But letting 2D and their smug, straight white Goldman-Sachs backed selves completely revamp their pilot while canning Goldman's effort isn't a great look. Especially given the gender conversations already associated with the show...
JohnCastillo
JohnCastillo - 11/4/2019, 5:21 PM
@SerKurtWagner - Yh it really isn't. But there is one possibility we could be overlooking.. Game of Thrones wasn't huge back then obviously, and i'm guessing it was a pretty low budget pilot. With this prequel series coming after the immense success of GoT I am sure it was given a hefty budget, so maybe they couldn't afford reshoots. But we're just speculating at this point. Still a bummer.
Nightmare
Nightmare - 10/29/2019, 3:26 PM
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