'Game of Thrones': George R.R. Martin's Co-Writers Weigh in on Animated Spinoff Rumors

There are a lot of reports, rumors and speculation floating around about the new Game of Thrones spin-offs in development at HBO, and even George R.R. Martin's co-writers are getting in on the action. Elio M. García and Linda Antonsson co-wrote the Westerosi encyclopedia The World of Ice and Fire with Martin, and continue to work closely with him. On Saturday, they weighed in on his new overall deal and the implications for HBO.

The Hollywood Reporter was the first to announce that HBO had renewed its overall deal with Martin this week for five more years. That means the network gets first pick of Martin's creations, and he gets a payment in the "mid-eight figures." THR also compiled the potential Game of Thrones spin-offs in the works, from the confirmed to rumors. In their post on Westeros.org, García and Antonsson wrote: "We did like the speculation of the animated project."

They then quoted a paragraph from THR, which speculated that an animated series based on Martin's writing would do well, and might be a smart move for HBO. It read: "[an animated production] could portray a lavish amount of spectacle beyond even GoT standards, and/or it could tell a story that spans a considerable stretch of time — much of Martin's previously published supplemental materials are in an encyclopedic form that sketches out thousands of years of Westeros' history."

"We would certainly think a World of Ice and Fire animated series would be pretty neat as an anthology show!" wrote García and Antonsson. The couple started one of the first and most successful fan sites for A Song of Ice and Fire, long before it was adapted for TV. That grew into an all-encompassing wiki, which led Martin to begin asking for their input on matters of continuity. They also approached Martin with the idea for The World of Ice and Fire.

Fans likely already know that the first Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon, is filming now. According to THR, at least four more are in development. They include a series about Corlys "the Sea Snake" Velaryon — tentatively titled 9 Voyages; a drama about the King's Landing slums of Flea Bottom and a far-flung prequel about the warrior-queen Nymeria, who led an exodus from the Rhoynar to southern Westeros.

The last is an adaptation of Martin's novella series Dunk and Egg, though Martin previously wrote on his blog that he does not want those books adapted until he is finished writing them. Regardless, it's clear that HBO is investing a lot into Westeros going forward. The next show to air will be House of the Dragon, which is due out some time in 2022.