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Zach Moser
Published 13 minutes ago
Zach Moser is a Philadelphia native who loves films, television, books, and any and all media he can get his hands on. Zach has had articles published on satirical sites such as Points In Case, Slackjaw, and McSweeney's.
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If there was ever hope for Game of Thrones season 9, it's probably been dashed with news coming out of Iceland in November 2025. George R.R. Martin recently appeared at the Icelandic Noir Festival that ran from November 12–15 in Reykjavík, and announced that there is at least one, maybe two, GOT sequels in the works.
It's been a great month for fans of Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire universe. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon have both been renewed through 2028, and now this. As exciting as the prospect of the GOT sequels is, it does squash the dreams of those hoping for Game of Thrones season 9.
HBO's Potential Game Of Thrones Sequels Make Season 9 More Difficult
Jon Snow looks concerned in Game of Thrones season 8
In Reykjavík, Martin said, "...there’s a sequel or two [in the works]" about the future of Game of Thrones, though he gave no information regarding what any sequel shows could be about. Game of Thrones season 9 seems even more unlikely if Martin and his production team are already considering sequels.
Game of Thrones season 9 would likely have picked up right where season 8 left off, sending each character on their merry, cold way. However, with talk of sequels, you can bet we'll be jumping a few years into the future, not least because Game of Thrones season 8 ended six years ago, and our actors aren't getting any younger.
While it's possible that Game of Thrones season 9 could bridge the time between the end of season 8 and the start of the sequel shows, it would also be unnecessary. You can have a sequel season, or you can have a sequel series, but to do both would risk marginalizing everything that comes before.
Hopefully the sequel(s) will begin after the main characters have accomplished something in the in-between. Otherwise, what would be the point of their endings in season 8?
A Game Of Thrones Sequel Would Probably Not Involve All Of The Main Characters
Maisie Williams as Arya in Game of Thrones season 8 finale
Martin hasn't given away much about what we should expect to see in a Game of Thrones sequel TV show, but it stands to reason that it probably won't involve all the main characters. It's true that Game of Thrones found ways to zoom all over Westeros and Essos to tell its story, but the context was a little different.
In Game of Thrones, the storylines were always converging: "The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives" and all that. The huge ensemble of characters partaking in their varied and separate storylines never felt unwieldy because there was the expectation that the stories were spiraling towards one another, even if they were sometimes doing so at a maddeningly slow pace.
However, the end of Game of Thrones frees the characters from the prophecies and duties that have bound them. Content in the roles they have played in the defense of Westeros, and confident in the friendships and love they have experienced and lost, Arya, Jon, Sansa, and the rest can go forward on new journeys that diverge rather than converge.
Consequently, there's a good chance that any Game of Thrones sequel show will not have every former main character playing a major role, and possibly not even appearing. If the sequel is about Jon Snow, then yes, perhaps Sansa will appear. Anything set in King's Landing will, of course, feature Tyrion, Bronn, and everyone else at the small council table.
But if the sequel show instead focuses on Arya, who's on her way west of Westeros, then don't expect Greyworm and the Unsullied sailing after her. Everyone is on their own journey after the Game of Thrones finale, and the sequel shows would be wise not to reel back one of the few successful thematic points of season 8.
Why Game Of Thrones Season 9 Was Never A Real Possibility
Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) looking up, his face serious, in Game of Thrones season 8
While this Game of Thrones sequel business has likely dashed any hopes of Game of Thrones season 9, those hopes were always a little wishful thinking. Cast and crew scurried away from Game of Thrones after season 8 faster than Theon scurried away from Euron after he nabbed Yara, just watch this compilation on YouTube.
Those compilation videos aside, which are certainly not definitive proof of the cast hating season 8, the actors and production staff were immediately on to new projects after GOT, and returning to the series has never seemed to be a high priority. Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss went off to 3 Body Problem.
Kit Harrington, Maisie Williams, and Sophie Turner all took off on their individual film and TV careers as well, and just about everyone seems to be doing fairly well for themselves. Even more critically, the end of Game of Thrones is the end of George R.R. Martin's story, even if he hasn't written it yet.
It appeared difficult enough to adapt a story that was unfinished. I imagine no one involved was looking forward to adapting a new section of A Song of Ice and Fire that was never even supposed to exist.
A GOT sequel series or two feels like a good way to continue the story, alleviate some issues of GOT season 8, and also move far enough away from the nuclear fallout of that ending.
We May Get A Game Of Thrones Sequel Before The Winds Of Winter
Sansa Stark smiles as she looks at Jaime in Game of Thrones
For all the news about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, House of the Dragon, and Game of Thrones, you know what we still don't have any news about? The sixth book in the ASOIAF series, The Winds of Winter. It's possible that we get a GOT sequel series before The Winds of Winter hits the shelves.
It's possible that we get a lot of things before Winds of Winter hits the shelves. If that book is ever finished, the waiting isn't over, because Martin needs to write the next book, A Dream of Spring. But then we're covered, right? Wrong. Though Martin hasn't mentioned a third book, he'll almost certainly need one.
Anyone who has read through A Song of Ice and Fire recently will note there are dozens of storylines to tie up, wars to fight, continents to cross, and so, so much more. Bran has just started becoming a treeman, Jon is dead, Daenerys has just conquered Meereen, and some guy named Aegon has landed in Westeros with an army.
There is a lot to wrap up. Unless Martin decides to kill off quite a few characters, I can't see him finishing the story in two books. If Game of Thrones fans want more stories in the ASOIAF universe, they may have to do something they swore never to do again after season 8: put their trust in TV.
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Game Of Thrones
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Action Adventure Fantasy Release Date 2011 - 2019-00-00 Showrunner David Benioff, D.B. Weiss Directors David Nutter, Alan Taylor, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff Writers D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, David Benioff Franchise(s) Game of Thrones
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Samwell Tarly And Jon Snow In Game Of Thrones Season 1
Lena Headey as Cersei in Game of Thrones
Tyrion Finds Jaime And Cersei in the wreckage of King's Landing in Game of Thrones season 8
Daenerys attacks King's Landing in Game of Thrones
Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen standing in the snow in Game of Thrones
Ned Stark in Game of Thrones season 1
Peter Dinklage Looking Disheveled As Tyrion Lannister In Game Of Thrones Season 8
Daenerys Targaryen In Game Of ThronesClose
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