The next chapter in the Game of Thrones saga is one step closer to becoming a reality. According to Entertainment Weekly, HBO has at long last begun production on the still-untitled prequel series set during Westeros’ Age of Heroes.
A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin has previously said that viewers will find Westeros looking a bit different when the series finally airs. Despite this claim, the show is opting for a familiar shooting location. EW notes that the series is currently filming in Northern Ireland. That region (specifically Paint Hall Studios in Belfast) famously served as the primary home of Game of Thrones throughout its eight-season run. Among other countries, GoT also filmed scenes in Croatia, Iceland, and Spain over the years. However, it’s not clear if the prequel will venture to those places as well.
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S.J. Clarkson is directing the new series’ pilot episode, which boasts an ensemble cast led by Naomi Watts. She’ll be joined by Josh Whitehouse, Miranda Richardson, John Simm, Marquis Rodriguez, and more.
It was recently revealed that Game of Thrones will have a presence at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Deadline reported last week that HBO and the convention’s organizers are “in the final stages” of planning a Hall H panel to celebrate the main show’s conclusion. It remains to be seen which stars will grace the stage. This would also be a good time to field questions about the upcoming prequel and maybe even debut some early footage. But given GoT’s lengthy post-production process, fans will probably have to wait a bit longer for that.
The Game of Thrones prequel is still without a release date, but it’s expected to premiere in either 2020 or 2021. Are you more excited for the series to air now that it has started filming? Let us know in the comment section below!
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