George R.R. Martin is getting a lot accomplished in prison.
The A Song of Ice and Fire author recently signed a five-year, eight-figure deal with HBO; he’s also executive producing the Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon; (allegedly) writing the long-awaited The Winds of Winter; and according to the Hollywood Reporter, writing a play based on the book series.
A stage show set in the world of Game of Thrones is in the works, with Martin collaborating with award-winning playwright Duncan MacMillan (including the production of 1984 that made Jennifer Lawrence puke) and director Dominic Cooke. “The play will for the first time take audiences deeper behind the scenes of a landmark event that previously was shrouded in mystery,” the official description reads. “Featuring many of the most iconic and well-known characters from the series, the production will boast a story centered around love, vengeance, madness and the dangers of dealing in prophecy, in the process revealing secrets and lies that have only been hinted at until now.” A 2023 launch is the hope, with productions in New York, London, and Australia.
The still-untitled play will reportedly be set during the Tourney at Harrenhal, a lavish and thrilling tournament that took place roughly 16 years before the events of the HBO show, allowing familiar characters to return. Possibly including:
No characters have yet been officially confirmed for the play. But according to Martin’s previously published books, attendees of the event included a young, shy Ned Stark, his rebellious sister Lyanna, cocky teenage Jaime Lannister, powerful Lord Robert Baratheon, lovestruck Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, dashing Prince Oberyn Martell, and noble knight Ser Barristan Selmy, among many others (keep in mind, Martin’s Westeros timeline is different than the HBO series as the show had to age-up several characters in order to hire actors who could work with adult material).
If the Game of Thrones play is a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child-level hit, HBO should consider bringing more of its shows to the Great White Way. A “Tomlette and Greggs” song would bring the house down in Succession: The Musical.
(Via the Hollywood Reporter)
