Game Of Thrones' Naomi Watts prequel cancelled as another is confirmed
It will focus on House Targaryen
Last updated 30th Oct 2019
There's bad news in store if you were part of the team making one of the new Game Of Thrones prequels for HBO. Jane Goldman's much-anticipated pilot starring Naomi Watts, set many years before the stories and characters of the series that concluded this year, is not moving forward beyond a pilot at US channel HBO.
While the cable outlet has not officially announced the decision, Deadline reports that Goldman has been in touch with the cast – including Naomi, Jamie Campbell Bower, Naomi Ackie and Miranda Richardson – and crew (director SJ Clarkson handled the pilot) to give them the word.
The site has heard that the pilot didn't test well despite post-shoot tinkering and brings word of unspecified issues during the Belfast-focused shoot, which is almost a tradition for televised GOT, since the original pilot had terrible reactions and was heavily re-shot.
Alas, it appears that whatever transpired with Goldman's show - which she created with GOT novelist George RR Martin - was too serious to overcome, and the show has been scrapped.
Yet as with so many things to do with Westeros, where there is death, there is also sometimes life, and that has been handed to the other prequel, known as House Of The Dragon, which was being developed by Ryan Condal (alongside Martin) from a concept originally handed to Bryan Cogman will skip any pilot stages and go straight to series with an initial 10-episode order.
This show, which chronicles the much earlier days of House Targaryen (Dany's lot) has veteran Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik stepping aboard as co-showrunner. It'll follow the civil (and uncivil conflicts) between family members and the various rulers who emerged. Plus, given the name and that group, a lot of dragon action.
Scroll through to see the Game of Thrones cast from season one vs now...
Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Season 1
Kit Harington plays the broody Jon Snow - illegitimate son of Ned Stark... Or so we thought. Kit was 25-years-old when he took on the role of Jon Snow, and despite being from London, was able to do a pretty passable Northern accent.
Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Season 8
Now, Kit is 32-years-old and married to former co-star Rose Leslie, who played the wildling Ygritte - his character's former love. Did anyone else's heart actually break when she died? No? Just us? Sob.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Season 1
Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's Jaime Lannister was a bit of an arrogant weirdo in the first season - not only was he having an affair with his actual twin sister, but he was just an all-round not nice guy.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Season 8
Fast forward to season 8, and fans are seriously conflicted over Jaime. On the one hand, he's still in a relationship with his twin sister. On the other hand, he seems to be a much better person than he was in season 1... Other than that, he's aged like a fine, fine wine.
Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Season 1
The aforementioned sister of Jaime is an absolute nutcase. In season 1, it seemed as though Cersei was just fiercely determined to stay on the throne and make her father Tywin proud.
Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Season 8
However, by the time we got to the penultimate season, Cersei has gone a little more mad than before. Probably on account of being locked in a tower for months on end and tortured, before being forced to walk naked through the streets. She looks so normal in real life!
Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Season 1
Emilia Clarke's character Daenerys Targaryen began life on the show as a meek young girl at her elder brother's beck and call, when Emilia was 25-years-old.
Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Season 8
However, after much hardship and a lot of learning - as well as a couple of dragons under her belt - Daenerys is now basically taking on the world as she battles for the Iron Throne.
Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Season 1
Sophie Turner was just 15-years-old when she began starring in Game of Thrones. Her character, Sansa, was quite simply an annoying little girl to begin with, and her obsession with Joffrey was hard to watch.
Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Season 8
Now 23 - and engaged to none other than Joe Jonas - Sophie has blossomed into a fantastic actress with a lead role in upcoming X-Men films. As Sansa has also been through a pretty rough time, viewers have warmed more to her than before, and she's also a frontrunner in the race for the crown.
Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Season 1
Sophie's younger on-screen sister Maisie has possibly undergone the biggest transformation - but that's not hard when she started life on the set at the age of just 13!
Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Season 8
Maisie is now a hugely accomplished actress, and the growth of her character is a testament to how much her skills have come on during her time on the show. Plus, we are loving the pink hair!
Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Season 1
Singer Lily Allen's brother Alfie has starred as Theon Greyjoy throughout the series. Theon started out as a disillusioned member of the Stark family, having been raised by them after a battle with own family saw him accepted as the Stark's ward.
Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Season 8
Although he was an arrogant character, he certainly didn't deserve all the torture that befell him thanks to the twisted Ramsay Bolton, played by Iwan Rheon.
Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Season 1
Isaac was just 12-years-old when he took on the role of Bran Stark, and whose actions acted as a catalyst for the whole upheaval, really. If he hadn't have been climbing up the tower, he wouldn't have seen Cersei and Jaime together - they wouldn't have pushed him and basically, everything wouldn't have kicked off.
Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Season 8
Now, he's 19, and Bran has become the Three-Eyed Raven, shedding his former identity and taking on the role of the all-seeing, all-knowing being. There are even whispers that he might secretly be the Night King somehow, but that remains to be seen.
Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Season 1
Tyrion started life on the show as a near-alcoholic philanderer with a penchant for visiting brothels. When he was accused of killing his nephew, Joffrey Baratheon, he fled Westeros and was captured by Ser Jorah Mormont.
Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Season 8
Then, he was taken to Daenerys Targaryen and vowed to assist her on her quest to reclaim the throne, as her father had been the last true king.
John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Season 1
Samwell Tarly is probably one of the nicest characters on the show, having been taken under the wing of Jon Snow when both boys joined the Night's Watch together.
John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Season 8
Since then, he's fallen in love with Gilly, become adoptive father to her baby and even killed a White Walker - something unheard of in their time.
Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Season 2
Melisandre joined the show in Season 2, played by Dutch actress Carice van Houten. The character started on the show utterly convinced that Stannis Baratheon was meant to be king, but after he was killed she became a bit lost.
Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Season 8
She's now joined the side of Daenerys Targaryen, and is helping her in her fight to return her family's name to the throne.
Joe Dempsie (Gendry), Season 1
Former Skins actor Joe plays Gendry the blacksmith in Game of Thrones, the secret son of King Robert Baratheon, who was unfortunately killed in the first season.
Joe Dempsie (Gendry), Season 8
Gendry has been avoiding capture since then, especially with the help of Ser Davos Seaworth, and has now joined Team Targaryen.
Hannah Murray (Gilly), Season 2
Joe's fellow Skins co-star Hannah Murray is also part of the cast, playing Gilly, daughter and wife of the horrible Craster, who thankfully gets killed. She escapes with her son/brother, and befriends Samwell Tarly.
Hannah Murray (Gilly), Season 8
Romantic feelings have, of course, developed between Samwell and Gilly, and now they're quite in love and are co-parenting her baby/brother together.
Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Season 2
Gwendoline Christie's character Brienne of Tarth is an absolute icon. Not only does she refuse to be held to anyone else's standards, but she also kicks some serious butt.
Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Season 8
Since her first appearance in Season 2, Brienne has now sworn fealty to Sansa Stark, fallen in love with Jaime Lannister and is also fighting off the advances of wildling Tormund Giantsbane.
Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Season 3
Former Hollyoaks actress Nathalie Emmanuel has been playing the character of Missandei since 2013. Missandei was originally a slave who acted as a translator for her previous owner, Kraznys, before Daenerys freed her and she chose to serve her instead.
Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Season 8
Missandei is now Daenerys' most trusted advisor, friend and also a lover of Grey Worm.
Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), Season 3
Jacob Anderson plays Grey Worm, captain of the Unsullied army in Game of Thrones, but he also makes music under the name Raleigh Ritchie.
Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), Season 8
Grey Worm initially couldn't speak any other language, both has slowly been learning with the help of his now-lover, Missandei and is completely devoted to working for Daenerys.
This article originally appeared on Empire.
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