HBO and George R.R. Martin love to keep us in the dark. They do this because it only makes us more excited about their upcoming creations. The top of everyone's list is the series finale of HBO's mega-hit Game of Thrones. But the prequel series that's set to follow definitely holds the "number 2" slot.
There's very little we know about the upcoming prequel series. However, that doesn't mean we know nothing about it. The following list details every important story and production note we have to date. In the coming months, we're bound to receive more. But for now, feast your eyes on the 10 things we know so far about George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones prequel.
It'll Be About The Long Night
One of the more recently revealed tidbits about the Game of Thrones prequel is that it will be called, "The Long Night". This is very much in line with what George R.R. Martin mentioned when speaking about the prequel months ago.
The Long Night is set to take place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones. Fans of A Song Of Ice And Fire know that "The Long Night" is a dark period after the magnificent Age Of Heroes. During this period, the citizens of Westeros experienced a winter that lasted a generation. During this time, the White Walkers emerged from the north with their armies. An alliance between the Children of the Forest and the First Men was made in order to combat decades of attacks.
It Will Star Naomi Watts And Jack Whitehouse
Little is known about the show, therefore even less is known about the casting, but on October 30th it was officially announced that King Kong and Gypsy star Naomi Watts would lead the cast of The Long Night. At this point, we basically know nothing about the character Watts will be playing aside from one little tidbit.
Watts will be playing "a charismatic socialite with a dark secret". This minuscule description perfectly encapsulates the type of characters we've come to expect from this epic world.
Additionally, Josh Whitehouse will become the new heartthrob amongst A Song of Ice And Fire fans. Shortly after Watts, it was also revealed that the Poldark and Alleycats star will be joining as well.
The Pilot Is Written By Jane Goldman
Back in June, it was announced that HBO would officially move forward with the pilot for what would become The Long Night. Apparently, HBO was thrilled with the pilot script that Jane Goldman wrote for the prequel she'd eventually show-run.
Goldman has had an amazing career, making her more than suitable to helm this epic tale. Her resume includes work on the Kingsmen films, X-Men, Kick-Ass, and Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children. Clearly, she knows how to work with large-format material, action, and complex characters.
In addition to Goldman, the writer's room includes Carly Wray (Westworld), Max Bornstein (Kong: Skull Island), Brian Helgeland (42), and Game of Thrones veteran Brian Cogman.
It's Filming In February 2019
Back in early September, it was rumored that The Long Night would start production as soon as February 2019. Now that major casting choices have been announced, it seems that starting in February will stick. After all, television shows rarely announce their leading cast unless they're close enough to production. Otherwise, they'd risk having to announce replacements or dropouts which is never favorable.
That said, The Long Night could start shooting even earlier than this as the HBO Programming President, Casey Bloys, announced that the show would start in "early 2019".
Either way, the show is will begin filming in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
It'll Contain Mysteries From The East
One of the biggest enigmas in the brief description of The Long Night released by HBO is that the show will also feature "mysteries from the East". Frankly, this deliberately evasive detail could mean anything. However, it's likely that they're referring to the continent of Essos, which is deeply rooted in magic. This includes uninvestigated areas such as The Shadow Lands and Asshai.
This detail could also be referring to other continents that haven't been explored in the books or on screen. Among the other continents in George R.R. Martin's world are Ulthos and Sothoryos; both of which are utter mysteries. Regardless of what this sentence means, we're bound to be getting something good.
It's The Only Prequel In Active Development
It was originally announced that HBO was developing five prequels to Game of Thrones. Frankly, this sounded a bit excessive. Although George R.R. Martin's world could easily be the source of more than six television shows, the fact that they were being developed at once seemed like a cash grab. It's understandable though. Any company would want to squeeze every last dollar from their audience once they got hooked on their product. However, that doesn't mean it's right for the quality of the material.
However, The Long Night is the only Game of Thrones prequel that's in active development at HBO. This means that the network has cooled off a bit. Hopefully, it also means that they're going to put a lot of effort into making the prequel fantastic.
It Will Decide The Fate Of Future Prequels
Since HBO announced that they had five Game of Thrones prequels in development and then decided only to proceed with one, it's likely that a lot is riding on The Long Night. While speaking to Entertainment Weekly, HBO's programming chief Casey Bloys stated that he didn't expect any movement on any of the other prequel scripts until the pilot for The Long Night is completed.
If HBO sees potential in The Long Night and thinks that it can hold an audience, they may just move forward with the other prequels. This includes Max Borenstein's script that tracked really well. However, if the show doesn't live up to expectations, it's unlikely that any of the other prequels will get the "go ahead".
It May Be Connected To George's New Book
Although little is known about the upcoming prequel, we may be getting fresh information soon. It's possible that George R.R. Martin's new book will detail some of the events, characters, and settings that we'll be seeing in The Long Night. Martin's new book, Fire & Blood, is an imaginary history of Westeros. Therefore, it's likely that Goldman's script will borrow from some of the details explored in the book.
Fire & Blood, which will be available on November 20th, will be the first of several books detailing the history of Westeros. Specifically, it will focus on the Targaryen Dynasty that took place thousands of years after the Age of Heroes and the Long Night. But that doesn't mean there's not vital information in the book about what was essentially Westeros' Dark Ages.
The Creation Of The Wall Will Probably Be Shown
Given the time that The Long Night takes place, it's likely that we'll be seeing the origins of the Wall. This is because The Long Night occurs during a time when the citizens of Westeros are experiencing a generation-long winter. This was when the White Walkers first crept down from the North and waged war against the Children of the Forest and the First Men. In response to this, Bran The Builder designed and erected the giant ice-wall in order to keep them out.
Although no one is sure how exactly he did this, we'll probably find out. Chances are, The Long Night will detail the journey of Bran the Builder as he attempts to create one of the most famous landmarks in Westerosi history.
It'll Likely Air In 2020
Given HBO's upcoming schedule, it's likely that The Long Night will air sometime in 2020. The show will begin shooting in early 2019 and probably take about a year or more to put together. Additionally, HBO will want to wait at least a year before airing a prequel after the finale of Game of Thrones in 2019.
As for what part of the year The Long Night will air? Well, that remains a mystery. However, Westworld Season Three is also airing the same year. Therefore we can expect The Long Night to begin capturing our attention whenever Westworld isn't.
Regardless of the show's actual release date, the reality is, we're all pumped for The Long Night.