HBO is building a franchise around the success ofGame of Thrones, butthe network keeps making the same disappointing mistakes when it comes to its TV spinoffs.Game of Throneswas nothing short of a cultural phenomenon when it was on air, so it’s no surpriseHBO is developing multiple spinoffsbased onGeorge R.R. Martin’s books.House of the Dragonis already two seasons in,A Knight of the Seven Kingdomsis expected to arrive in 2025, and a newGame of Thronesmovie is in the works.
Despite HBO’s commitment to expanding theGame of Thronesuniverse, the network continues to repeat the same mistake when it comes to its approach. While series likeHouse of the DragonandA Knight of the Seven Kingdomscover interesting events outlined in Martin’s books,they also prove HBO is playing it safe. It’s a shame the network isn’t willing to take more risks when it comes to this world, as doing so would offer more variety.
HBO Keeps Repeating The Same Mistake When It Comes To Game Of Thrones Spinoffs
It Keeps Canceling Its Most Interesting Projects
Although a number ofGame of Thronesspinoffs are chugging full speed ahead, HBO has also axed several projects that were in development.Bloodmoon,a series that would have explored the Long Night and the origin of the Night King, was the first on the chopping block. The network alsoreportedly dropped its Jon Snow sequel, and Martin revealed aBraavos spinoff was shelvedas well. While not every series that’s in development will become a reality,all ofGame of Thrones’scrapped spinoffs have one thing in common: they go beyond Martin’s source material.
New Game Of Thrones Movie Could Be The Shake-Up The Fantasy Franchise Needs
A Game of Thrones movie is in development, and given the current state of HBO’s spinoffs, it could be exactly what the franchise needs.
In doing so, they would expand on parts of Westeros that aren’t as fleshed out. From the White Walkers to the Faceless Men,there are many storylines fromGame of Thronesthat demand further exploration. Unfortunately, it seems like HBO would rather stick to narratives that repeat the original show’s political scheming and power struggles.House of the Dragoncertainly feels similar to its predecessor, and whileA Knight of the Seven Kingdomswill be different, it will stick to familiar locations and remain focused on the court.
It’s Disappointing That HBO Won’t Take A Risk On More Unique Spinoff Ideas
Doing So Would Fix Disappointing Storylines From Game Of Thrones
It’s disappointing that HBO isn’t moving forward with more uniqueGame of Thronesspinoffs, as the network would greatly benefit from doing so. The fight for the Iron Throne is the central focus ofGame of Thrones,and it makes for a gripping narrative. However, there are only so many times such a story can feel fresh and engaging. And the mysterious parts of Westeros are highlights of the original, with the White Walkers, Faceless Men, and subtle suggestions of magic all having vast potential.
HBO seems hesitant to dig deeper intoGame of Thronesfantasy elements, though, which raises questions about how much it can really do with its franchise.
AndGame of Thronesdoesn’t always deliver on that potential, with some of these storylines leaving far too many questions unanswered. Viewers expected more from the White Walker and Faceless Men subplots, to name a few, and spinoffs would be a great way to deliver on that. HBO seems hesitant to dig deeper intoGame of Thronesfantasy elements, though, which raises questions about how much it can really do with its franchise.
The Game Of Thrones Franchise Will Lose Momentum If The Network Keeps This Up
Similar Spinoffs Could Start To Feel Fresh & Stale
It’s sad to say, butHBO’sGame of Thronesfranchise will likely lose some of its luster if it keeps telling similar stories. While the history and political maneuvering of Westeros opens the door for many narratives, the network can’t only focus on fights for power. Even with Martin’s impressive source material to guide such spinoffs, they would start to feel repetitive and stale without anything else breaking them up. HBO needs variety if it wantsGame of Thronesto remain a cultural phenomenon, and that means charting new territory in future series.
It’s understandable it wants to replicate the success ofGame of Thrones,but its popularity stems from more than its political intrigue.
Hopefully, the network will eventually realize that and pursue spinoffs that don’t feel as similar to the original show. It’s understandable it wants to replicate the success ofGame of Thrones,but its popularity stems from more than its political intrigue. There are so many great parts of Martin’s world, some of which the author hasn’t even dug into in the source material. That doesn’t mean viewers aren’t interested in the Long Night or what comes afterGame of Thrones. Many would jump at the opportunity to explore such mysteries.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
