Game of Thrones went through a difficult transition in its final season. It was, for a few short years, the biggest show on the planet, and HBO was keen to capitalize on this popularity by announcing several spin-offs and prequels. Then, the final season dropped, and the backlash forced the network to pump the brakes.
A planned spin-off starring Naomi Watts was scrapped after HBO shelled out $35 million to shoot the pilot episode. 9 Voyages, a show that would follow the character Lord Corlys Velaryon, has also been put on the back-burner. The spin-off that fans are most eager to see, however, is the one that will reportedly focus on Thrones protagonist Jon Snow. Is it still going to happen?
HBO announced the Jon Snow spin-off in 2022, and Kit Harrington all but confirmed that he would be reprising his star-making role. It was being pitched as a high-priority release for the network, but the more time passed, the less confident executives and showrunners seemed that it would make it to the small screen.
HBO Drama Chief Francesca Orsi shed light on the spin-off’s chances during a recent interview with Deadline. Unfortunately, she could provide nothing but uncertainty. “We’re just working deeply with the writers to get it in shape for potential greenlight,” Orsi explained. “But at this point, no, no determination on whether it can go all the way.”
This makes sense when looking at the mixed track record for Games of Thrones. The original show was a ratings juggernaut, but HBO has been reluctant to flood their streaming platform with spin-offs and interconnected shows given the critical mauling that the last few episodes took. Quality is more crucial than ever, and if the network decides to run out a mediocre show under the Game of Thrones umbrella, they risk squandering one of their biggest brands.
Is the Jon Snow spin-off cancelled?
On the flip side, the one spin-off that has made it to the screen, House of the Dragon, has done exceptionally well. The first season was a critical darling, and the finale drew 9.3 million viewers, which was the biggest total since Game of Thrones in 2019. There’s obviously still a demand for the franchise, and that’s not even taking into account the popularity of Jon Snow as a character.
Snow was the closest thing Game of Thrones had to a hero, and fans responded accordingly. He was universally loved, and scenes involving him often resulted in the show’s most iconic moments. There isn’t a more bankable character to base a spin-off around. Harrington talked about the spin-off during a Thrones convention last year, and stated that there’s still plenty to explore in terms of Jon Snow’s trauma and growth.
“He’s gotta go back up to the place with all this history and live out his life thinking about how he killed Dany,” the actor explained. “And live out his life thinking about Ygritte dying in his arms, and live out his life thinking about how he hung Olly, and live out his life thinking about all of this trauma, and that … that’s interesting.”
While nothing has been green-lit, the fact that HBO hasn’t completely shut down the Jon Snow spin-off, as they’ve done with countless other Thrones projects, is a positive sign. All we can do is hope.
