Summary
It’s hard to believe now, but there was once a time when HBO’sGame of Thronesdominated television. The hit series, based on George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Fireseries, ran for eight seasons on the network and dominated social media with each new episode released. While the final season was often cited as the show’s weakest,Game of Thronesstill remained one of the most talked about shows up until the end, and was still a popular topic of discussion nearly five years ago.
Before the show concluded its run, the network showed interest in developing spinoffs to the series, with nearly eight projects having been announced at one point or another. Now, five years on, one pilot for a spinoff was produced but quickly killed, and one series has made it to television:House of the Dragon. Although the latter has become a must-watch series for many, there’s no denying it hasn’t quite captured the same audience as its predecessor. Which begs the question: Has HBO waited too long to develop its spinoffs?
Game of Thrones' Former Dominance
The very first episode ofGame of Thronesfirst premiered on April 17th, 2011. The season kicked things off with 2.2 million viewers, and managed to end the season with over 3 million viewers. The series would manage to do something most shows could only hope to do, with each new season bringing in even more viewers, with the final season opening with an astounding 17 million viewers. While fans had issues with season bits of the series throughout its run, there was no denying the show’s popularity, as it continuously dominated social media each and every Sunday. Not only did the series top the trending topics on X, formerly Twitter, but it was also a common topic among entertainment websites after each episode. Fans tuned in each and every week, eager to see what the writers had in store, eager tosee whether or not their favorites survivedor how the writers adapted the best-selling fantasy series.
Throughout the show’s run,Game of Thronesstunned fans by never holding back when it came to character deaths, even when those deaths came from the books. FromNed Stark’s infamous beheading, to the shocking red wedding and Daenerys burning Kraznys, there was always a shock moment to draw fans in. Unfortunately, though, in the latter seasons, the series became known for its poor storytelling more than anything. Which, of course, resulted in the loss of interest from audiences, despite HBO’s interest in developing numerous spinoffs.
The Struggle to Develop the Spinoffs
Before Game of Thrones concluded its eight-season run, there were murmurings of spinoffs being explored by HBO. WhileHouse of Dragons, which is set 200 years before the events of its predecessor, isnow in its second season, it is only one of many spinoff projects centered around the massively popular series. Up next isA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is based off George R. R. Martin’sThe Tales of Dunk and Egg. The series was announced last year, and it is currently expected to debut sometime in 2025. Then there’s theHedge Knightspinoff, whichrecently secured a director, and is expected to debut next year, too. Other projects in various stages of development areAegon’s Conquest,The Sea Snake/Nine Voyages,Ten Thousand Ships, andThe Golden Empire. A spinoff series centered around Jon Snow was previously considered. However,the project has since been shelved. WhileBloodmoon, the first spinoff to receive a pilot order, was ultimately canceled. Despite filming a pilot with Naomi Watts, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Naomi Ackie among the cast, HBO felt the pilot required “more invention.” Also canceled was theFlea Bottomspinoff, and the status of the Robert Baratheon-centered spinoff is currently unknown.
With so many projects in the pipeline, there’s plenty for fans ofGame of Thronesto be excited about. However, with at least five years between the series and its spinoffs, it does feel like there’s too much of a gap between the projects for audiences to truly care anymore.House of Dragonshas been well-received among critics and fans, yes, but it hasfailed to achieve the same heightsasGame of Thrones. The series premiered with an impressive 9 million viewers, and season two managed to earn approximately 10 million viewers across all platforms. Still, those numbers are nowhere near the numbersGame of Throneshad pulled in during its final season. It’s almost as if HBO’s decision to move slowly with its spinoffs has impacted the ability for the spinoffs to recapture that passion and excitement of the original series. Even worse, with only two series officially moving forward five years later, it seems likely any other spinoffs are simply doomed upon arrival. If HBO hopes to find success with its planned spinoffs, it is going to need to move faster to keep audiences interested in staying in Westeros.
