HBO Doesn’t Want To ‘Overexploit’ The ‘Game Of Thrones’ Universe

It would be easy for HBO to order ALL the Game of Thrones prequels once the original series wraps up in 2018 or 2019, but the network’s president of programming doesn’t want to “overexploit” the universe that George R.R. Martin built. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Casey Bloys admitted that “it would be insane for a network not to at least entertain the idea of a successor shows,” but he’s also worried about flooding the market.

Bloys should know: he was there when Regis-mania was sweeping America.

“I was at Touchstone during Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. They had a hit show and they aired four in a week,” he said. “This show is very special. I’m not looking to have as many as possible. My sense right now is we would be very lucky if one of the four rises to the level that we have set. Now, theoretically, what if they’re all great? That’s a high-class problem that I’ll solve when it comes to that. But knowing what we know about the development process, that’s why we wanted to increase our odds. But I do not see a scenario where we have more than one.” He later added, “Going back to that Who Wants to Be a Millionaire comparison, I think overdoing it — like having multiple shows — there’s a risk of diluting the quality and driving it into the ground. I have no interest in doing that.”

Bloys is also wary of HBO becoming known as the Game of Thrones network, which is unlikely, considering the critical and award-winning success of Westworld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Veep, Silicon Valley, and Insecure, as well as the buzzy Watchmen, The Deuce, and Lovecraft Country. “HBO will survive with or without a prequel,” he said. “I want to be mindful of overdoing it. I look at this universe as very precious resource. I do not want to overexploit it.”

Heed Beric Dondarrion’s warning: “Every time I come back… I’m a bit less. Pieces of you get chipped away.” It’s something HBO should keep in mind.

(Via the Hollywood Reporter)

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