HBO Reportedly Fast Tracking Another ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel — Why It Might Actually Happen

A new “Game of Thrones” project could be in the works at HBO, reports Variety.

According to sources, HBO is “keen to move forward” with a series about Aegon I Targaryen, also known to “Thrones” and “A Song of Ice and Fire” fans as Aegon the Conquerer, whose lineage extends throughout “House of the Dragon” and “Game of Thrones.” HBO and Warner Bros. may also include a feature film to tell the story, either as a tie-in to series or something else. HBO would not confirm the project when contacted by IndieWire for comment.

While news of yet another “Game of Thrones” spinoff may no longer shock viewers, this is the first potential series since “House of the Dragon” premiered in August 2022 — and connects directly to events in that series. “House of the Dragon” shattered viewership records for HBO, at long last providing long-awaited and -needed reassurance for the network that audience interest in “Thrones” didn’t fizzle out after its much-maligned finale. Expanding the world of Westeros with “House of the Dragon” as its new, successful anchor is just good business.

In George R.R. Martin’s books, Aegon I was the Targaryen ruler who first conquered Westeros along with his sister-wives Rhaenys and Visenya. The three of them brought the seven kingdoms of Westeros together under one rule and began the highly contested dynasty of the Iron Throne. Viserys I (Paddy Considine) in “House of the Dragon” is Aegon and Rhaenys’ great great grandson, so there would be minimal overlap in casting or characters, just as there was with “House of the Dragon” and “Game of Thrones” (except for Vhagar the dragon, who lives for centuries and just caused some major drama in the “HOTD” Season 1 finale).

With “Dragon” under its belt, HBO has confirmed that viewers aren’t intimidated by Martin’s dense mythology and sprawling ensembles — that the “Thrones” wasn’t just lightning in a bottle. The first spinoff also provided payoff for significant financial investment, and in the coming months will have its shot at a first season of Emmy Awards. HBO Max was in the “extremely early stages” of a possible Harry Potter series back in 2021, with similar language and about as much progress as the Aegon prequel seems to have — but films in the extended Harry Potter universe did not have the same proven success, with the middling box office performance of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” (and eventually the disastrous “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”). Early and uncertain as the news of another Westeros series might be, Aegon’s story has a much better chance of being made and doing well compared to other options — and cementing “Thrones”‘ conquest of 21st-century television.

“Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” are streaming on HBO Max.