HBO might have cancelled one planned Game of Thrones prequel, but that has not stopped cooking up another one.
The network is in talks with Game of Thrones author George RR Martin to adapt his Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas into its own series.
Set around 90 years before Game of Thrones, the story follows Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and a young Aegon V Targaryen (Egg) who would go on to become king.
The live action series is in very early stages of development and no writer has yet been attached to the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
What is interesting about the two lead characters is their interesting family connection to some of the main players in Game of Thrones.
Aegon is obviously related to the Mother of Dragons – Daenerys Targaryen – herself and is her great-grandfather.
But Dunk could very well be related to fan favourite Brienne of Tarth.
Martin scattered clues throughout his books of a potential lineage between the two, including in the book A Feast For Crows she has her shield painted with same arms as Dunk’s, based on a shield in her father’s armory.
The Tales of Dunk and Egg will join the other planned sequel, House of the Dragon which documents Daenerys Targaryen’s ancestors as they journey through the time period dubbed Dance of the Dragons.
While the spin-off isn’t due to hit screens until 2022, HBO programming president Casey Bloys revealed the network is looking for other directions to keep exploring Westeros.
Casey compared Game of Thrones to Star Wars, telling Variety: “Those are fantastic properties that are decades and decades old. I don’t know it would get that big, but certainly it is a great resource that we have and an amazing world.
“I don’t think it’s just going to be the one [show] for the rest of its life.”
The network had previously begun developing a pilot called The Long Night, set in the Age of Heroes and starring Naomi Watts.
In October 2019, it was decided that HBO would not move on with the series created by George RR Martin and Jane Goldman – wife of Jonathan Ross.
But House of the Dragon has already been confirmed for a first season, with The Outsider’s Paddy Considine starring as Targaryen king Viserys.
Other famous faces will also be included in the line-up, including former Doctor Who Matt Smith, who signed up to play the King’s brother Prince Daemon earlier this month.
