7 Upcoming Game Of Thrones Spinoffs, Ranked By Our Excitement

After the success of Game of Thrones, it’s no surprise HBO is planning to build out the fantasy franchise through spinoffs — though some of the network’s plans are more exciting than others. There are six Game of Thrones spinoff series in various stages of development, as well as a recently announced Game of Thrones movie to look forward to. All of these will explore different locations, time periods, and characters from George R.R. Martin’s vast A Song of Ice and Fire universe. Martin’s books offer a lot to cover, so there’s plenty of potential in Westeros’ history.

House of the Dragon, which just finished its second season, is already exploring this. And A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is set to follow suit in 2025. The release timelines and statuses of the other Game of Thrones spinoffs are less clear, and given the shelving of the Jon Snow sequel and cancelation of Bloodmoon, it’s possible some won’t come to fruition. At present, there are seven spinoffs supposedly still happening. Some are riskier additions to HBO’s fantasy franchise, while others are highly anticipated.

7. The Golden Empire

Game Of Thrones’ Animated Essos Spinoff Is Risky For Multiple Reasons

HBO is planning to add animated series to its Game of Thrones lineup, and according to one of Martin’s blog posts (via Collider), one will be set in Essos — and specifically, in the nation of Yi Ti. The working title is reportedly The Golden Empire, named for the Golden Empire of Yi Ti. However, there isn’t much else to report about this spinoff. It’s unclear what its current status is or what its story could be about.

That said, Yi Ti is an intriguing place for a new story to unfold, as it’s far east from Westeros and has different governing and religious practices. This means The Golden Empire is likely to be quite different from Game of Thrones and its initial spinoffs. That variety is sorely needed and could be a net positive for the franchise. The fact that this will be an animated series also opens up all kinds of possibilities, as the medium lends itself well to fantasy narratives.

Unfortunately, The Golden Empire is also a risky addition to HBO’s Game of Thrones franchise. There isn’t a lot of source material to base the story on, as most of what we know about Yi Ti comes from Martin’s World of Ice and Fire book. The jump to animation could also fail to land, since Game of Thrones’ gritty and grounded tone may not translate well to such a medium. There’s a lot up in the air when it comes to The Golden Empire, so while it’s definitely exciting, it’s on the lower end of the spinoffs we’re looking forward to.

6. Upcoming Game Of Thrones Movie

Warner Bros. Film Is A Big Deal But Warrants Skepticism

The Game of Thrones movie is another project shrouded in mystery, as details about the film are currently sparse. It’s unclear if Warner Bros. is planning to continue its exploration of Westeros’ history or if the studio is hoping to deliver a sequel to Game of Thrones. The answer to that question could make or break this project, as there are few Game of Thrones characters and storylines that warrant a follow-up. Needless to say, Warner Bros.’ Game of Thrones film raises concerns, just like The Golden Empire.

The reason the Game of Thrones movie is slightly more exciting is that it’d be great to see the fantasy franchise make its way to the big screen. While Warner Bros. needs to find the right story for a Game of Thrones film, there’s no denying the epic action sequences and stunning cinematography associated with the original show would be stunning on the silver screen. The Lord of the Rings movies prove how well fantasy films can work when done properly, so the success of Warner Bros. Game of Thrones’ movie will depend largely on how it’s handled.

5. The Sea Snake

Corlys Velaryon Is A Great Character, But Is That Enough?

Previously dubbed Nine Voyages, The Sea Snake is a Game of Thrones spinoff that will follow a character we already know from House of the Dragon: Corlys Velaryon. The show would serve as a prequel to House of the Dragon, depicting Corlys’ early voyages and revealing how he became known as the Sea Snake. Corlys is one of House of the Dragon‘s most interesting and likable characters, so there’s little doubt he could carry his own show. The prospect of seeing more of him — and eventually, more of Rhaenys Targaryen, too — makes this spinoff exciting.

Of course, there are limits to The Sea Snake‘s potential, as viewers already know what becomes of its main character. Although a Game of Thrones spinoff set primarily at sea sounds intriguing, the show would need prominent players besides Corlys to establish high stakes. It’s also not clear what the central conflict of this series would be or whether it would live up to its predecessor. Corlys’ travels will also be animated, and this sounds like a show that would work better in live-action. With those things in mind, the excitement surrounding The Sea Snake is middling.

4. House Of The Dragon Seasons 3 & 4

The Final Outings Have Potential, But There’s Cause For Concern

House of the Dragon is already two seasons into its story, and the Game of Thrones prequel is fairly successful — though it has received numerous criticisms about how its adapting Fire & Blood, even from George R.R. Martin himself. House of the Dragon has more of the great acting and stunning action seen in Game of Thrones, and it offers more dragon scenes to enjoy. The Dance of the Dragons is a fascinating point in Westeros’ history, so House of the Dragon is a great jumping off point for Game of Thrones’ expanded universe.

After the ending of House of the Dragon season 2, the war between the Blacks and the Greens is about to get a lot messier. Even with House of the Dragon season 2’s finale criticisms, there’s reason to look forward to the final two outings. With more characters claiming dragons, the action sequences are bound to heat up in and beyond House of the Dragon season 3. And as we approach the series’ ending, there will inevitably be emotional deaths that feel reminiscent of Game of Thrones’ most tragic and gruesome moments.

Unfortunately, while House of the Dragon‘s next two seasons have a lot of potential, there is also cause for concern. Martin’s vocal criticisms of the show indicate that it could keep going in directions that don’t properly reflect the source material. The Targaryen prequel has already made a few questionable changes, and continuing to do so would weaken its latter half. HOTD is also very close to Game of Thrones in premise, which makes the spinoffs with more unique concepts slightly more promising.

3. A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

George R.R. Martin’s Enthusiasm Is Promising

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is the second Game of Thrones spinoff making its debut, with its six-episode first season premiering in 2025. Based on Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg stories, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will follow the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg, who is actually Aegon V Targaryen. The pair travel around Westeros together, and their journeys have lower stakes and a more lighthearted tone than both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.

The fact that The Hedge Knight will be so much different from its predecessors is precisely what makes this show so exciting, as we’ll finally see Westeros from new perspectives — and without all the characters vying for the Iron Throne. Of course, Egg will end up on the throne anyway, and the events that lead him there will make The Hedge Knight a gripping story. It sounds like it will be faithful to the source material, too, as Martin himself is enthusiastic about the spinoff. That’s a good sign, and his praise only raises the excitement surrounding the show.

2. 10,000 Ships

Arya Stark Is Responsible For The Hype Surrounding This Nymeria Prequel

While there are far more details about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to gush over, there are two spinoff series that are just a bit more exciting. One of them is 10,000 Ships, and we can thank Arya Stark for all the hype surrounding this one. Arya’s enthusiasm for Nymeria, the warrior queen she named her direwolf after, is contagious. 10,000 Ships will tell Nymeria’s story, depicting how she and her people took their fleet from the Rhoynar and traveled to Dorne. The badass heroine is enough to make this spinoff stand out, but its time period also sparks excitement.

With Nymeria’s massive voyage occurring 1,000 years prior to Game of Thrones, this prequel will be set before the rise of House Targaryen. It will take place in a Westeros unlike anything we’ve seen before, and that’s reason enough to look forward to this. Viewers will also see more of Dorne, a location that was severely underutilized in the original series. All of this makes 10,000 Ships one of the most-anticipated upcoming Game of Thrones shows, though there’s one spinoff likely to top it.

1. Aegon’s Conquest

This Is The Targaryen Prequel Story We Need

A Game of Thrones spinoff called Aegon’s Conquest is confirmed, and this is undoubtedly the most exciting series coming down the pike — and the Targaryen prequel story that viewers should really be excited about. Aegon’s Conquest will be set 300 years prior to Game of Thrones, showing how Aegon the Conqueror escaped Valyria and claimed the Seven Kingdoms for House Targaryen. Given the premise, there will be plenty of action. There will also be more dragons, as well as lore that adds depth to the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy from Game of Thrones.

Aegon’s Conquest sounds like the perfect mix of everything that makes Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon great. While there’s been little news about this particular series, the prospect of seeing Aegon the Conqueror in action makes this the most exciting project on HBO’s agenda. It will add so much rich history and context to the stories told in Game of Thrones and HOTD, explaining why the Great Houses of Westeros resent and fear the Targaryens — and why their dynasty plays out the way it does. Arguably, this is the Game of Thrones spinoff we need the most.