Summary
- HBO shelved a Game of Thrones spin-off set in Braavos a few years ago, according to author George R.R. Martin.
- Braavos, a Free City in Game of Thrones, is the home of the Faceless Men and the Iron Bank, with rich lore left unexplored
- Multiple Game of Thrones spin-offs have been attempted, with some, like House of the Dragon making it to air, while others were canceled
Game of Thrones was a phenomenon unlike almost anything seen on television. It’s no surprise that George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world has been mined for spin-off potential with multiple new series already in the works at HBO, but not all of them made it that far.
Game of Thrones is set in Martin’s fictional fantasy world of Westeros, which spans across vast locales and multiple cultures. Much of Game of Thrones takes place within the seven kingdoms with Winterfell, King’s Landing, the Vale, and Dragonstone being frequent locations for the story. However, Martin has occasionally taken fans across the narrow sea to the Free Cities, often where Daenerys Targaryen was seen venturing through the cities like Qarth and Mereen before she made her way to Westeros. Many corners of Westeros are largely unexplored on screen, but it appears there were plans to explore at least one of those corners on television at one point.
Another Canceled Game of Thrones Spin-off Revealed
Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin wrote in his most recent blog post about the inspiration behind his fictional location of Braavos, which he said wasn’t based on Venice as many of his readers believe, but is an amalgamation of places, including Amsterdam. The most important tidbit that the author dropped, however, is news of a Game of Thrones spin-off series that would have been set in Braavos. Martin said the idea was in development at HBO, but that they “shelved it” a few years ago. The author said he still hoped to return to the Braavos story idea, but that he would wait until his upcoming Winds of Winter novel was complete.
“One of these days I need to write that story about Braavos we were developing for HBO. They shelved that one a couple of years back, alas, but that does not mean I won’t go back to it… after ‘Winds of Winter’ is done, of course.”
Braavos is one of the Free Cities in Martin’s fantasy world and it gets a fair bit of screen time in Game of Thrones. It serves as the home of the mysterious Faceless Man Jaqen H’ghar and the House of Black and White, which Arya Stark visits in Season 5 of the TV show. It is also notably home to the Iron Bank of Braavos, aka the most powerful financial institution in the Game of Thrones world. Arya’s sword-fighting teacher in Game of Thrones Season 1, Syrio Forel, is another notable character from Braavos.
Martin didn’t divulge further details about what the Braavos series would focus on, but Game of Thrones certainly left many lingering questions about the Free City. Arya was invited into the world of the Faceless Men in Season 5, but the exact nature of their organization is still left to the imagination. A series exploring their origins would certainly have been interesting, but it seems it may remain a mystery for now.
HBO has been working with Martin on multiple spin-offs in the Game of Thrones world since the series ended. Some have made it to air, like the Targaryen prequel House of the Dragon, or the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Others, like Naomi Watts’ Bloodmoon series which would have explored the White Walker’s origins, got as far as filming the pilot before being canceled.
It seems like a Braavos-focused Game of Thrones spin-off won’t eventuate on HBO. However, if Martin does indeed go ahead and write the Braavos story as he said he hopes to, perhaps the network will take a second look.
- First TV Show
- Game Of Thrones
- Latest TV Show
- House of the Dragon
Game of Thrones, based on the Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin, tells the sprawling story of warring families in Westeros. This includes the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, and the Targaryens. Along with human conflicts, Westeros is also threatened by the re-emergence of dragons, and an undead enemy from beyond the Wall.
- First Episode Air Date
- April 17, 2011
- Where to watch
- HBO Max
- Spin-offs
- House of the Dragon