Kick-Ass Screenwriter Jane Goldman To Run Game Of Thrones Prequel; Pilot Ordered
by Erik Amaya
The contest to see who will sit the showrunner chair is over.
Variety reports Jane Goldman, screenwriter of Kick-Ass, the Kingsman films and a couple of X-Men movies, will serve as executive producer and showrunner of HBO’s forthcoming Game of Thrones prequel. The series will take place “thousands of years” before the current program and reveal “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.”
Over the last year, the cable outlet was developing five prequel pitches based on its beloved fantasy series with involvement from A Song of Ice and Fire authors George R.R. Martin. He constantly characterized the projects as taking place long before the current conflict on the television program, leaving many to wonder if Martin’s “Dunk and Egg” stories, the “Dance of Dragons” or the Doom of Valyria — tangential tales referenced in Martin’s epic novel series — might become their own show. Instead, it seems, we will see the previous Long Night as a long-form drama.
Martin will join Goldman as an executive producer alongside Daniel Zelman and current Game of Thrones co-executive producer Vince Gerardis.
It is unclear if the other pitches will be shelved or further developed. When asked about airing more than one prequel series, HBO president of programing Casey Bloys said it was a “high class problem” he would only deal with it should it occur. Currently, Goldman’s script is the only one order to pilot, so Bloys may yet avoid such a decision.
Game of Thrones returns for its final season next year.
