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George RR Martin wants Game of Thrones to become an MCU-inspired extended universe

‘There are only so many times you can do a competition for the Iron Throne,’ author said

Isobel Lewis
Thursday 21 July 2022 11:21 EDT
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George RR Martin has said that he wants the world of Game of Thrones to turn into an MCU-esque extended universe.

While the author is working on the long-awaited penultimate Ice and Fire novel The Winds of Winter, the first Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon is preparing to launch in August. Check out the new trailer here.

With a recently announced Jon Snow spin-off also in the pipeline, creator Martin has said in a new interview that he imagines the world of Westeros spawning multiple projects, not unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“The MCU has The Avengers, but they also have something offbeat like WandaVision,” Martin told The Hollywood Reporter.

“That’s what I hope we can do with these other Game of Thrones shows, so we can have a variety that showcases the history of this world. There are only so many times you can do a competition for the Iron Throne.”

However, Martin said that he hoped he wouldn’t become to the Game of Thrones universe what Stan Lee was to Marvel.

“He had no power, no influence,” the writer said. “He wasn’t writing any stories. He couldn’t say, ‘Don’t do this character.’

Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith in ‘House of the Dragon'
Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith in ‘House of the Dragon' (HBO)

“He was just a friendly person they brought to conventions and who did cameos. To be sidelined on the world and characters that you created, that would be tough.”

In May, Martin spoke to The Independent about the perceived rivalry between House of the Dragon and the Lord of the Rings spin-off The Rings of Power.

“I hope both shows succeed,” he said. “I’m competitive enough. I hope we succeed more. If they win six Emmys, and I hope they do, I hope we win seven.”

You can read the full interview here.

Last month, it was announced that Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow in the HBO series, was behind the planned spin-off series about his character.

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