Game of Thrones became an instant pop-culture sensation. It’s currently one of the best-known and most widely-watched television shows ever made. In fact, its impact outlived the show itself, and fans demanded spin-offs and prequels to better explore the world GoT is set within. They also wanted to dilute the bad taste left in their mouths after season 8.
Even the smallest pitches made for a prequel to the show are enough to capture the attention of fans, but relatively few of these go on to receive a greenlight. House of the Dragon is slated for an August 2022 release, and a sequel focused on Jon Snow was announced, but several much-hyped prequel series have been canceled or rejected.
5 Blood Moon Got As Far As A Very Expensive Pilot
The White Walkers were one of Game of Thrones‘ biggest antagonists. As alien creatures associated with cold and death, they wanted to wipe out the human population of Westeros. Their threat was made clear throughout most of the show, and Jon Snow’s goal in life was to stop them and save mankind. However, Game of Thrones documents their second assault. Thousands of years before the present day of the series – in the Dawn Age – they first came from the north and threatened to hunt both the First Men and the Children of the Forest to extinction.
Blood Moon was a planned prequel exploring this time, set ten thousand years before Game of Thrones. The series received a greenlight from HBO and even had a prequel made for the staggering cost of $30 million, but was considered overwhelming. As such, it was canceled, which left many fans disappointed.
4 A Theoretical Robert’s Rebellion Prequel Turned Out To Never Exist
To many Game of Thrones fans, the logical time period for a prequel series is that of Robert’s Rebellion. Taking place a short time before the series proper, a series focusing on that civil war would give fans a look at a different side of characters like Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon. It would also give the creators a chance to expand on moments only mentioned in the series.
With the potential to see moments like the executions of Rickard and Brandon Stark, the romance between Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna, and the climactic battle of the Trident that saw Robert and Rhaegar face off, it could satisfy many fan fantasies. There were persistent rumors of a prequel series focusing on Robert’s Rebellion, even before the end of the series. Many fans speculated how one of the famed five prequel pitches being considered by HBO was just that. However, it has been confirmed there was never a Robert’s Rebellion prequel anywhere close to being greenlit, making the speculation baseless.
3 The Valyria-Dooming Empire Of Ash Got Canned
Game of Thrones fans have long speculated on five pitches for spin-offs known to be in the works long before they were ever greenlit, as discussed by author George. R. R. Martin. One of these, entitled Empire of Ash, followed the downfall of the Valyrian Freehold, which was the most powerful empire ever seen in the world of Game of Thrones. It would have chronicled the decline of the Freehold in its final years, leading to the fabled Doom of Valyria – an intense volcanic event that turned the Freehold’s homeland into a blackened and uninhabitable wasteland only the Targaryens escaped.
The series progressed quite far. A writing team was assembled and there was also a series bible in the works. However, HBO ultimately passed on the project, leaving the Doom of Valyria as an event only briefly mentioned in Game of Thrones.
2 The Targaryen Conquest Prequel Pitch Was One Of Many Abandoned Projects
Many of the five pitches confirmed ‘in development’ were never expanded upon until after they were greenlit and canceled. However, fans of the show worked out from the statement of author George R. R. Martin that one of the five was going to document the Targaryen Conquest of Westeros, which would use material from the novel Fire and Blood not used in House of the Dragon.
Showing Aegon the Conquerer and his sisters Rhaenys and Visenya crushing the continent with a small army and three dragons, the series would have focused on the events that set in motion Game of Thrones three centuries later. Despite the wish of fans to see more of the time period, and Martin’s seeming enthusiasm for the idea, the show was one of the five pitches to never be given the greenlight, despite progressing in development.
1 Flea Bottom Was Quietly Cancelled
Flea Bottom is a notorious region in Game of Thrones. It’s a slum district of King’s Landing and the birthplace of well-liked characters such as Davos Seaworth and Gendry. It’s known to be poor, crime-riddled, and dangerous, and yet played an important role in several events in Westeros’ history.
A prequel focusing on it may have seemed like an unusual choice, especially given the show’s tendency to focus on continent-spanning events and the affairs of the nobility. However, it could have provided a unique chance to see a different side of Westeros by focusing on the affairs of the common people, out of sight of royalty. Despite this, it is one of the more concretely-known pitches to have gone ahead in development. In 2021, it was officially canceled by HBO, noted as having been a nascent idea that didn’t get as far in development as the other planned prequels.