When a network has a hit, like ‘Game of Thrones’, they try to capitalize on its success. HBO merchandised the show extensively, but surprisingly, a prequel was not pursued despite efforts to do so.
In an interview for his new book, ‘Tinderbox: HBO’s Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers’, journalist James Andrew Miller discussed the cancelled pilot episode for a ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel series with former WarnerMedia chairman Bob Greenblatt.
Greenblatt revealed, “They had spent over $30 million on a ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel pilot that was in production when I got there. When I saw a cut of it, I felt it didn’t live up to the original series’ promise, and we decided to pull the plug on it.”
Although there were rumors of multiple ‘Game of Thrones’ prequels as early as 2017, Greenblatt explained the pressure to deliver a compelling story based on such a popular franchise was immense.
The prequel pilot was shot in its entirety in 2019 but was ultimately shelved. Despite this setback, spin-offs like ‘Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon’ are still in development.
Greenblatt emphasized the importance of focusing on creating a solid series rather than risking $30 million on a pilot that may not get picked up. This approach led to the decision to move forward with ‘House of the Dragon’ as a series without the need for a costly pilot.
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