'Game of Thrones' Prequel Production Start Date Reportedly Revealed

HBO is keeping its Game of Thrones saga going after the show wraps its final season - and that expansion begins with the upcoming prequel series, which will be set in the ancient days of Westeros, during the era known as "The Long Night." After hearing that HBO was moving forward with the prequel during this year's TCA upfronts, we're now hearing reports of when production on the Game of Thrones prequel may begin.

GWW reports that production on the Game of Thrones prequel could begin in February 2019, with filming taking place over in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the Paint Hall/Titanic Studios. Jane Goldman has been named as showrunner of the series, and her extensive and acclaimed credits with big genre properties (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, Kingsman) makes her a fan-favorite pick for this next installment of the Game of Thrones franchise.

This production start date falls in line with what was reported earlier this summer during TCAs, where we heard the Game of Thrones prequel would go into production in "early 2019," despite some rumors that cameras could begin rolling late this year. There's been little revealed about the cast or exact storyline for the show - beyond what little we know from some early teaser information:

"Taking place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, 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."

That span of time is wide open with possibility for a longform series, as there is so much already packed into George R.R. Martin's source material. The span between the end of the Age of Heroes and onset of the Dark Ages known as The Long Night" has many milestone events and characters that could be the focus of a larger ensemble series - one that could even play with a non-linear approach to different eras of time.

If you don't know your Westeros history, The Age of Heroes started after the pact between the First Men and Children of the Forest. It lasted 4,000 years until the Andal Invasion that remade Westeros, introducing new prominent bloodlines, political systems, and religions. The Age of Heroes was a time of no "Knights" or "Kingdoms" or the religion of The Seven -- no Lannister, Stark, or Targaryen families The titular Heroes of legend included Bran the Builder, Garth Greenhand, and other figures behind the legends of Casterly Rock, The Iron Islands, Storm's End, or so many iconic pieces of Westeros.

We'll keep you updated about production on the Game of Thrones spinoff as more news is confirmed. Game of Thrones season 8 may be delayed even later than expected.