Send a raven. Jon Snow Knows Something. Like at least a few of the plot points of the upcoming Game of Thrones sequel.
With a prequel of the show centered around House Targaryen set to premiere on HBO this August, HBO announced plans this week for the first GoT sequel series. HBO also announced that actor Kit Harington has officially signed on to star, meaning the sequel series is likely to follow everyone’s favorite bastard Jon Snow and his exploits beyond the wall.
HBO has no fewer than seven GoT spin-offs in some stage of development (Seven? Seven!? Well, seven hells!), but the Jon Snow-centric series was the first one to make it out the castle gate. But now that the Kit is out of the bag, where exactly will he be going, who is he going with, and who will be leading him there?
Kit Harington – leader of the Wolf Pack
Not much else is known about the direction of the show. Original show creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff are nowhere to be found, so it’s unlikely they will be the creative force behind this effort or any of the others.
And maybe that’s a good thing? Once the pair ran out of George R.R. Martin’s source material to use as a template, GoT under their direction veered wildly off course. And this new story would definitely go beyond the scope of what Martin has released and likely beyond what he’s written or envisioned, meaning Weiss and Benioff would have no infrastructure to ground their storytelling. Maybe some fresh minds are just what the Maester ordered.
Game of Thrones: Beyond the Wall?
Given Kit Harington has vocalized in the past his disdain for frigid shooting schedules, is it possible that the next chapter in the “bastard who knows nothing sure knows a lot about oral sex” saga might take place in warmer climates? With no wights at the Wall to battle, perhaps the ballad of the bastard will follow Jon east to Essos for some reason or see him take off west to track down Arya.
Either way, here’s hoping that Jon’s narrative is compelling enough to warrant the sequel treatment in the first place.
An additional consideration: Whomever does end up running the show on Snow has their work cut out for them as far as (re)gaining the trust of fans. Weiss and Benioff’s final season left many feeling cheated by a rushed conclusion heavy on lazy writing that failed to make the endings of their most cherished characters feel deserved.
So the new folks will have a lot to make up for as they plot a new course through the Seven Kingdoms.
There’s no additional premiere date or casting info, but no doubt that HBO will rally the realm as a release gets closer.
Do you want to see a Game of Thrones sequel with Kit Harington?
Catch up on all things Game of Thrones on HBO Max now – and don’t forget to check out the Kit Harington-less HBO series House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon, HBO Max