George R.R. Martin Reveals How Many Kingdoms Are in the Game of Thrones Prequel

Production on the Game of Thrones prequel series is currently underway, and it sounds like the [...]

Production on the Game of Thrones prequel series is currently underway, and it sounds like the series is set to introduce a whole new side of Westeros. Franchise creator George R.R. Martin recently revealed to Entertainment Weekly that the currently-untitled prequel will go far beyond the Seven Kingdoms that fans are already familiar with, showing Westeros in a much more fractured state.

"We talk about the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros; there were Seven Kingdoms at the time of Aegon's Conquest," Martin explained. "But if you go back further then there are nine kingdoms, and 12 kingdoms, and eventually you get back to where there are a hundred kingdoms — petty kingdoms — and that's the era we're talking about here."

For those who are diehards fans of Martin's established lore, the notion that there might be dozens of more kingdoms and history to explore will probably be exciting. We already know that the series is expected to include earlier generations of the Stark clan, as well as the Casterlys who established Casterly Rock. From there, it sounds like there will be a lot more corners of the Thrones world to potentially dive into.

The prequel will be set thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, with a cast that includes Naomi Watts, Josh Whitehouse, Miranda Richardson, Jamie Campbell Bower, Toby Regbo, Georgie Henley, Alex Sharp, Naomi Ackie, Marquis Rodriguez, John Simms, Richard McCabe, John Heffernan, and Dixie Egerickx.

"It's a great world and great IP. We're going to do the pilot, see how it goes," HBO exec Casey Bloys said back in February. "Is it possible we do another one? Maybe. But I don't want HBO to become a network that airs just Game of Thrones or Game of Thrones prequels. It should be said that Game of Thrones has been an incredible show for us but what we're doing is a much more diversified slate so that we're not in a position that we have to get the Game of Thrones franchise up and running or the lights are going out at HBO. That is not the situation and it never has been.

"We're not going all-in Game of Thrones all the time. I do think it would be crazy not to try the prequel and to see what else is out there because George R.R. Martin has created this incredible universe and there's a lot of different places you can go. But we want to be careful not to overdo it."

Are you excited to see the Game of Thrones prequel series? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

0comments