'Game Of Thrones' Prequel Production Start Date Announced

With Game of Thrones finally coming to an end this year, it's about time for the first spinoff series of the franchise to begin filming. After numerous questions and rumors regarding the Game of Thrones prequel, HBO has revealed when the cameras will actually start rolling.

EW spoke with HBO programming president Casey Bloys on Monday, and he confirmed that production on the currently untitled Game of Thrones prequel would begin early this summer.

Early reports about the prequel series suggested that filming could begin back in October, while others indicated that production would kick off this month. However, this is the first time anyone at HBO has spoken out on the subject, so it's the real deal. Bloys has been hoping for some time that production would begin in the first half of 2019, and it looks as though that will be the case. At this point, there is no indication as to where the project will film, though there is a strong feeling that it will return to Belfast, Ireland, where the original Game of Thrones series was filmed.

Last month, HBO hired Jessica Jones and The Defenders director S.J. Clarkson to helm the first episode of the new series, and serve as an executive producer throughout. Jane Goldman is writing the script alongside franchise creator George R.R. Martin. Goldman will serve as the series showrunner.

Though there may not be a title, HBO has shared a description for the series, which you can read below.

"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's 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."

The prequel series stars Naomi Watts, Josh Whitehouse, Naomie Ackie, Denise Gough, Jamie Campbell Bower, Shelia Atim, Ivanno Jeremiah, Georgie Henley, Alex Sharp, and Tony Regbo.

Are you looking forward to the Game of Thrones prequel series? Let us know in the comments below!