Game of Thrones Finally Gets True Sequels as HBO Expands Westeros

Game of Thrones finally gets true sequels as George R.R. Martin has confirmed that multiple follow-up series are now in development at HBO. The author revealed the news during the Iceland Noir festival in mid November 2025. Alongside existing prequels, HBO is now quietly building shows that move the story of Westeros forward beyond the original series.

Martin said there are five to six Game of Thrones projects in development across the franchise, with most still set in the past. Crucially, he confirmed that some are sequels, ending years of doubt about whether HBO would ever return to the timeline after Daenerys, Jon Snow, and Bran. The announcement comes as HBO locks in a packed slate that includes A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in January 2026 and House of the Dragon season 3 in summer 2026.

What George R.R. Martin Confirmed About The New Game of Thrones Sequels

Speaking at Iceland Noir, Martin explained that work is underway on several Game of Thrones spinoffs. He said that beyond A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon, there are other series in active development. According to reports from attendees and follow up coverage, that slate currently includes around five or six projects. Most are prequels, but Martin stressed that some are sequels, which means they are set after the events of the original HBO series.

The confirmation is significant because the best known sequel effort so far, a Jon Snow show, was shelved in 2024 after Kit Harington and HBO could not agree on a strong creative direction. Entertainment coverage earlier this year reported the project as “firmly on the shelf,” with no scripts moving forward. Martin’s new comments make clear that while Snow is not returning for now, HBO has not given up on the idea of sequels themselves.

At the same time, HBO has locked in its near term Westeros schedule. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres on January 18, 2026 on HBO and HBO Max, with a first season of six episodes focused on Ser Duncan the Tall and Egg. The show has already been renewed for a second season ahead of its debut. House of the Dragon season 3 is set for summer 2026, with season 4 already confirmed for a planned 2028 release, giving the franchise a clear spine of prequel content for several years.

Martin also noted that he is not handling all of these projects alone. He is collaborating with other writers and showrunners on different ideas, similar to how House of the Dragon was developed with Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. That suggests HBO is treating Westeros as a long term universe with multiple creative teams, rather than a single author driven effort.

What These Game of Thrones Sequels Could Mean For Westeros

Martin has not named any specific sequel concepts, which leaves fans in speculation mode. The most obvious path is Arya Stark, whose final scenes in the original series showed her sailing west of Westeros to explore unknown seas. That ending almost begged for a follow up. A series that follows Arya’s journeys would let HBO expand the map far beyond the Seven Kingdoms while still anchored to a beloved character.

Another angle is a sequel that looks at the political future of Westeros under Bran Stark and his council. The 2019 finale left many questions about how this experiment in shared rule would work over time. A sequel set a generation later could focus on new characters living with the legacy of the war for the Iron Throne, while allowing for cameos or references to familiar names.

For now, though, none of these ideas are confirmed. Industry coverage describes the projects as being in various stages of development, which can range from early outlines to full pilot scripts. Some may never reach production. Others could be reshaped into animated projects or limited series. The only clear fact is that HBO and Martin are seriously exploring sequels again, despite the Jon Snow setback.

For fans, the timing is important. By late 2025, the Game of Thrones universe already has one major prequel on air and another arriving in 2026. Adding sequels to that mix signals that HBO does not see Westeros as a closed chapter. Instead, it is building a rolling pipeline of shows that can rotate between past and future, dragons and politics, familiar families and new regions.

In simple terms, Game of Thrones finally gets true sequels on the development board while HBO keeps its prequel machine running. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon anchor the near future, and Martin’s Iceland Noir comments confirm that the story of Westeros after the original series is no longer off limits. Fans now know that the door to new Game of Thrones sequels is officially open.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: Are Game of Thrones sequels really happening at HBO now?

Yes. George R.R. Martin has said that HBO is developing five to six Game of Thrones spinoffs and that some of them are sequels. That means new series set after the events of the original show are now in active development, even though the Jon Snow project remains shelved.

Q2: Is the Jon Snow Game of Thrones sequel completely canceled?

The Jon Snow sequel is described as shelved rather than officially erased. Kit Harington and HBO stepped back in 2024 after they did not find a story they believed in. Martin’s new comments about other sequels do not include Snow, so fans should not expect that specific project to return soon unless a fresh idea emerges.

Q3: When will the next Game of Thrones spinoff come out?

The next confirmed series is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which premieres on January 18, 2026 on HBO and HBO Max. After that, House of the Dragon season 3 is scheduled for summer 2026. None of the newly mentioned sequels have public release dates yet.

Q4: How many Game of Thrones series could exist by 2028?

Based on Martin’s comments and HBO’s current plans, there are five to six projects in development, not all guaranteed to air. What is locked in is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms with at least two seasons, plus House of the Dragon through season 4 in 2028. Any sequels that go forward would add to that lineup.

Q5: Will original Game of Thrones characters return in these sequels?

HBO has not announced any casting or character details for the new sequel projects. In theory, sequels could feature Arya, Sansa, Bran, or new generations of their houses. For now, any talk of which characters might appear is speculation until HBO or Martin name a specific series.