2026 promises to be a landmark year for the Game of Thrones universe, with multiple prequel series set to debut, expanding the rich lore created by George R.R. Martin. The two highly anticipated shows, House of the Dragon season 3 and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, are slated to arrive, continuing to captivate fans with new stories rooted in Westeros’ history. Besides these, several other spinoff projects remain in development, including both prequels and intriguing sequel ideas, signaling that the saga’s world-building will continue long after the original series concluded.
House of the Dragon, set roughly two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones, remains HBO’s flagship prequel, while A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is positioned slightly later, about 100 years prior to the original saga. These timeline settings allow the shows to explore the Targaryen dynasty’s complex history and the earlier political landscape of Westeros. In addition, there are plans for multiple seasons of these series across the next few years, cementing their presence in HBO’s programming slate.
George R.R. Martin has revealed that he is actively working with others on five or six Game of Thrones spinoff series still in development. Most of these are prequels, delving deep into Westeros and Essos lore. Among those known prequel projects are Aegon the Conqueror, which chronicles the creation of the Seven Kingdoms by the Targaryen conqueror about 300 years before the original Game of Thrones storyline, and Ten Thousand Ships, centered on the warrior queen Nymeria, who founded the kingdom of Dorne around a millennium prior. On the animated front, titles like The Golden Empire, set in the distant land of Yi Ti in Essos, and Sea Snake, highlighting the past of House Velaryon’s Corlys Velaryon from House of the Dragon, are also in development.
While most of the focus has been on prequels, sequels are also teased by Martin. There have been mentions of spinoff series set after the original Game of Thrones timeline, but details remain scarce. A Jon Snow sequel was in development and reportedly went through “a couple of years” of back and forth, but the project was eventually shelved due to a lack of a story that excited the creators. In parallel, fans have speculated on other character-focused continuations, such as one potentially about Arya Stark, who was last seen sailing off in search of new adventures. Martin even hinted at discussions with actress Maisie Williams about this possibility, though without confirming any concrete plans.
It is important to note that many projects described as “in development” may never come to fruition. HBO has spent large sums on pilots that were ultimately scrapped, such as the Naomi Watts-led prequel that was abandoned after a $30 million pilot. This illustrates the challenges and uncertainties involved in expanding such a beloved and complex universe.
In summary, 2026 will see the return of Game of Thrones fans to Westeros and beyond with new seasons of House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Alongside these, a host of other series remain in development, from epic prequels exploring ancient history to possible sequels building on the aftermath of the original saga. While the full scope of these projects is yet to be unveiled, George R.R. Martin and HBO are clearly committed to continuing to develop the world of Westeros in multiple compelling directions .
