A Song of Ice and Fire (franchise)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Song of Ice and Fire (sometimes referred to as World of Westeros[4][5][6]) is a high fantasy multimedia franchise centered on the series of novels of the same name by the American author George R. R. Martin. He began writing the first volume, A Game of Thrones, of the novel series in 1991 and published it in 1996. Martin, who originally envisioned the series as a trilogy, has released five out of seven planned volumes. The series has won multiple Locus Award and a World Fantasy Award. It also earned multiple nominations for Hugo Award and Nebula Award. The fourth and fifth installments, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons reached the top of the New York Times Best Seller list in 2005 and 2011, respectively. A Song of Ice and Fire is among the best-selling book series of all time, with 100 million copies reportedly sold to date.
| A Song of Ice and Fire | |
|---|---|
| |
| Created by | George R. R. Martin |
| Original work | A Song of Ice and Fire |
| Years | 1996–present |
| Print publications | |
| Book(s) | List of books |
| Comics | List of comics |
| Films and television | |
| Television series | List of live-action television series |
| Television special(s) | List of television specials |
| Theatrical presentations | |
| Play(s) | Game of Thrones: The Mad King |
| Games | |
| Traditional | List of tabletop games |
| Role-playing | List of roleplaying games |
| Video game(s) | List of video games |
| Audio | |
| Podcast(s) | The Official Game of Thrones Podcast |
| Soundtrack(s) | Music of Game of Thrones |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Concert | Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience |
| Exhibition | List of exhibits |
| Languages | |
Several adaptations based on the stories, settings, and characters in the fictional universe have been made. The first television adaptation, Game of Thrones, which premiered in April 2011, holds the record for total Emmy Award wins for a scripted television series and for most Emmy nominations for a drama series. It also won a prestigious Peabody Award in 2011. The show set various viewership records domestically and internationally, with the final season averaging 46 million viewership across multiple platforms. HBO has acquired the television rights to the novels, with David Benioff and D. B. Weiss serving as the showrunners for Game of Thrones. Following its success, additional spin-off shows have been made after its conclusion in 2019. House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones and based on the 2018 book Fire & Blood, premiered in August 2022, with Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik serving as showrunners. In January 2026, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, another prequel series based on the Tales of Dunk and Egg, premiered on HBO, with Ira Parker serving as the showrunner. Several instrumental soundtrack albums, composed by Ramin Djawadi, have been released for both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Fictional languages have also been created specifically for the show adaptations. American language creator David J. Peterson developed the Dothraki and Valyrian languages based on a few words and phrases written by Martin in his published novels.
In 2026, Warner Bros. Pictures announced that a feature film featuring Aegon's Conquest, the first chapter in Fire & Blood, is currently in the works. In the same year, a stage play titled Game of Thrones: The Mad King presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company in partnership with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, directed by Dominic Cooke.
Books, novellas, and other publications
A Song of Ice and Fire novels
| Title | Pages | Chapters | Words | Audio | US release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Game of Thrones | 694[7] | 73 | 292,727[8] | 33 h 53 min | August 1996[7] |
| A Clash of Kings | 768[9] | 70 | 318,903[10] | 37 h 17 min | February 1999[9] |
| A Storm of Swords | 973[11] | 82 | 414,604[12] | 47 h 37 min | November 2000[11] |
| A Feast for Crows | 753[13] | 46 | 295,032[14] | 31 h 10 min | November 2005[13] |
| A Dance with Dragons | 1056[15] | 73 | 414,788[16] | 48 h 56 min | July 2011[15] |
| The Winds of Winter | Forthcoming[17] | ||||
| A Dream of Spring | Forthcoming[18] | ||||
| Total | 4,244 | 344 | 1,736,054 | 198 h 53 min | 1996–present |
A Game of Thrones (1996)
In Westeros, after the death of Lord Jon Arryn, King Robert Baratheon recruits his childhood friend Eddard "Ned" Stark, the lord of the northern castle of Winterfell, to replace Arryn as Hand of the King and betroths his son Joffrey to Ned's daughter Sansa. Across the narrow sea, in Essos, live the exiled children of the dead and deposed Mad King Aerys of the Seven Kingdoms, Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen, as they try to get back the throne that is rightfully theirs. Meanwhile, the ancient order of the Night's Watch prepares as trouble brews beyond the Wall.
Martin was writing a science fiction novel titled Avalon in summer 1991,[19] and had wanted to write an epic fantasy novel since reading the work of English writer J. R. R. Tolkien.[20] He had an idea for the first chapter—a young boy seeing a beheading and the discovery of dire wolf pups in "summer snows"[19][21]—and wrote it in a few days.[22] Over that summer, he sketched a map, wrote a hundred pages, then sent the pages – alongside a series outline – to his literary agent. He expected he was writing a trilogy because they were the standard for the fantasy genre, and built the world as he wrote the story.[19] Martin pointed to historical fiction as an important influence, and described French writer Maurice Druon's seven-book historical series The Accursed Kings as "the original game of thrones".[23] He describes epic fantasy and historical fiction as siblings.[24]
Upon release, A Game of Thrones was widely praised,[25] and it subsequently won the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 1997 and the Premio Ignotus award for Best Foreign Novel in 2003.[26]
A Clash of Kings (1998)
With King Robert Baratheon dead, his purported son, Joffrey Baratheon, sits on the Iron Throne. His reign is far from stable, as both of Robert's brothers, Renly and Stannis Baratheon, have claimed the throne, as well. Two regions attempt to secede from the realm: Robb Stark is declared "King in the North", while Balon Greyjoy declares himself king of the Iron Islands. The war among these contenders is dubbed the War of the Five Kings. In Essos, with his brother dead, Daenerys Targaryen continues her plan to conquer the Seven Kingdoms.
As with its predecessor, A Clash of Kings was positively received by critics. Dorman Shindler of The Dallas Morning News described it as "one of the best [works] in this particular subgenre", praising "the richness of this invented world and its cultures ... [that] lends Mr. Martin's novels the feeling of medieval history rather than fiction."[27] It won the Locus Award in 1999 for Best Novel and was nominated for the Nebula Award, also in 1999, for Best Novel. [28]
A Storm of Swords (2000)
The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are still in the grip of the War of the Five Kings, wherein Joffrey Baratheon and his uncle Stannis Baratheon compete for the Iron Throne, while Robb Stark of the North and Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands declare their independence. Stannis's brother, Renly Baratheon, the fifth king, has already been killed. Meanwhile, a large host of wildlings, the tribes from beyond the Seven Kingdoms' northern border, approach the Wall, under the leadership of Mance Rayder, the self-proclaimed "King Beyond the Wall", with only the undermanned Night's Watch in opposition.
On October 6, 2009, Martin noted on his blog that his manuscript for A Storm of Swords had been 1521 pages in length; the initial printed hardcover came in at 992 pages.[29] Martin did not write the The Red Wedding chapters until he had completed every other chapter of the book, as he felt it was "the hardest thing I ever wrote" and that he would rather delay writing until necessary. In contrast, he referred to the chapter of Joffrey's fatal wedding as "easy and fun to write" but that he nevertheless tried to instill empathy for the painful demise of this very unpopular character and "bring home the point that this, too, was a human being who was scared and terrified and then dead".[30][31]
A Storm of Swords was the first novel in the series to be nominated for a Hugo Award. Like its predecessors, it won the Locus Award in 2001 and the Geffen Award for Best Fantasy Book in 2002.[26]
A Feast for Crows (2005)
Following the death of Tywin Lannister, the late Hand of the King, Queen Cersei's regency is marked by rampant cronyism, and her councils are staffed with incompetent officials and unreliable sycophants. Meanwhile, the secessionist kings Robb Stark and Balon Greyjoy are dead. One claimant to the throne, Stannis Baratheon, has gone to fight off invading wildling tribes at the northern Wall, where Robb's half-brother Jon Snow has become the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
In May 2005, Martin announced that his manuscript for A Feast for Crows had hit 1527 completed pages but still remained unfinished, with "another hundred or so pages of roughs and incomplete chapters, as well as other chapters, sketched out but entirely unwritten."[32] As the size of the manuscript for A Storm of Swords (2000), his previous novel, had been a problem for publishers around the world at 1521 pages, Martin and his publishers had decided to split the narrative planned for A Feast for Crows into two books.[32] Rather than divide the text in half chronologically, Martin opted to instead split the material by character and location. Martin noted that A Feast for Crows would focus on "Westeros, King's Landing, the riverlands, Dorne, and the Iron Islands," and that the next novel, A Dance with Dragons, would cover "events in the east and north."[32] Martin also added that the A Song of Ice and Fire series would now likely total seven novels.[32] A Feast for Crows was published months later on October 17, 2005,[33] over five years after the previous volume in the series.[34]
A Dance with Dragons (2011)
Jon Snow, the newly elected Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, prepares the defense against the Others, hostile inhuman creatures from the far north. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen has conquered the city of Meereen and banned slavery, but struggles to maintain peace among various factions within the city, including the Sons of the Harpy, a violent Meereenese resistance group, and with the neighboring city of Yunkai. Meanwhile, in the south, Doran Martell, the prince of Dorne, sends two of his nieces north to the capital city of King's Landing to infiltrate the Faith and the government and work in Dorne's interests.
Martin supplied a note at the end of A Feast for Crows explaining the reason for the split and promising that A Dance with Dragons would follow with the missing POV characters 'next year'. Despite these original, optimistic predictions of possible completion in late 2006, Martin completed the novel in April 2011, nearly five years later. During this period, Martin's blog featured sporadic updates on his progress, and in January 2008 he posted an update affirming his vigilant commitment to finishing the novel.[35]
The book was mildly received by some critics, citing its length and the story's slow pacing.[36][37]
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Future books
Martin stated in a 2012 interview that The Winds of Winter and the following book, A Dream of Spring, would take readers farther north than any of the previous books, and the Others will appear in the book.[38] The previous installment, A Dance with Dragons, covered less story than Martin intended, excluding at least one planned large battle sequence and leaving several character threads ending in cliffhangers.[39] Martin intends to resolve these storylines "very early" in The Winds of Winter, saying "I'm going to open with the two big battles that I was building up to, the battle in the ice and the battle at Meereen—the battle of Slaver's Bay. And then take it from there."[38] Martin has continued to face controversy due to the delay in completion of The Winds of Winter. He has described the novel as "the curse of my life",[40] and has previously said that he was "struggling" with the manuscript.[41]
With two planned books still in development, as of 2026, A Song of Ice and Fire reportedly already sold 100 million copies to date, making it among the best-selling book series of all time.[42]
Prequels
Tales of Dunk and Egg
Martin wrote three separate novellas set ninety years before the events of the main series. These novellas are known as the Tales of Dunk and Egg after the main protagonists, Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire "Egg", the later King Aegon V Targaryen.[43]
The novellas were published in short story anthologies:
- The Hedge Knight in Legends (1998)[44]
- The Sworn Sword in Legends II (2003)[45]
- The Mystery Knight in Warriors (2010)[46]
In October 2015, the three novellas were compiled and published in an illustrated edition entitled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.[47] Martin plans on writing 10 to 12 more novellas for the Tales of Dunk and Egg with working titles that include The Village Hero and The She-Wolves of Winterfell.[48][49]
Fire & Blood
Martin has written three additional novellas that are written as historical accounts of events that took place long before the events of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels or the Dunk and Egg novellas. The Princess and the Queen, published in Dangerous Women (2013),[50] chronicles the "continent-burning warfare" of a Targaryen war of succession that exploded between heir to the throne, Crown Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, and her stepmother, Queen Alicent Hightower, who conspired to usurp Rhaenyra and have her half-brother, Aegon II, crowned on the Iron Throne instead.[51][52] A fifth novella, The Rogue Prince, or, a King's Brother, was published in the 2014 anthology Rogues.[53] It is a prequel to The Princess and the Queen and concerns the life of Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra's second husband.[54] In 2017, The Sons of the Dragon was published in the anthology The Book of Swords, and chronicles the lives of Aenys I and Maegor I Targaryen who were the second and third kings to sit the Iron Throne, respectively.[55]
All three of these stories were incorporated as parts of Fire & Blood, a book chronicling the history of the Targaryen line. Fire & Blood is Martin's complete history of House Targaryen, planned in two volumes.[56] The first volume was released in November 2018.[57]
Companion books
The World of Ice and Fire
In 2014, Martin, along with Elio M. García Jr. and Linda Antonsson, released a 300-page volume of fully illustrated "history compendium" of Martin's fictional world, written from the perspective of an in-world "Maester" featuring newly written material, family trees, extensive maps, and artwork.[58][59] Martin worked closely with the artists to render the characters and locales as he himself imagined them, as opposed to how they may be portrayed in HBO's Game of Thrones series and other media, such as comic books and games.[60]
The Rise of the Dragon
In 2022, an abridged coffee table book version of Fire & Blood (2018) was published, featuring 150 new full-color illustrations.[61] In his blog, Martin said, “Think of The Rise of the Dragon as a deluxe reference book, in which Westeros’ most infamous family – and their dragons – come to life in partnership with some truly incredible artists.”[62]
Other publications
- The Art of Ice and Fire volume 1 and 2, an illustrated hardcover book, contain artworks inspired by the series from a variety of different artists and illustrators and were published in 2005 and 2011, respectively.[63][64]
- A Feast of Ice and Fire, an official companion cookbook published in 2012, replicates a range of cuisines featured in the main series. The book is written by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel and Sariann Lehrer and includes a foreword by George R. R. Martin.[65]
- The Lands of Ice and Fire, a set of twelve official maps of the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, drawn by Martin himself and Jonathan Roberts, was published in October 2012.[66]
- The Wit & Wisdom of Tyrion Lannister, an illustrated collection of Tyrion Lannister quotes from the novels, was published in October 2013.[67]
- The Official A Game of Thrones Coloring Book, a coloring book released in 2015 featuring 45 original black and white illustrations, inspired by characters, scenes, locations, and other images from the A Song of Ice and Fire series.[68]
Comic book series
The comic book adaptation of the first novel, A Game of Thrones, by fantasy author Daniel Abraham and artist Tommy Patterson, was published by Dynamite Entertainment from September 2011 to July 2014. The series ran for 24 issues.[69] The adaptation of the second novel, A Clash of Kings, written by Landry Walker and illustrated by Mel Rubi, was published from June 2017 to November 2021 for 32 issues.[70]
The Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas were, in addition, adapted as graphic novels:
- Martin, George R.R.; Avery, Ben; Miller, Mike S.; Crowell, Mike (2005). The Hedge Knight (2. ed.). Dabel Bros. ISBN 978-0-9764011-0-0.
- Martin, George R.R.; Avery, Ben; Miller, Mike S. (2008). Sworn Sword. Marvel. ISBN 978-0-7851-2650-8.
- Martin, George R.R.; Avery, Ben; Miller, Mike S. (2017). The Mystery Knight. Random House. ISBN 978-0-3455-4939-6.
Companion app
George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire – A Game of Thrones Guide, an application that provides the biographies of 540 characters, descriptions of 380 places, and interactive maps, was released on iOS in November 2012, then on Android in March 2013.[71] The app's "anti-spoiler functionality" hides information not yet revealed at the point up to which the user has read the novels.[72]
Television series
Three television series make up the A Song of Ice and Fire television franchise: Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. All series in total amount to 103 episodes across 12 seasons of television.
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally released | Showrunner(s) | Status | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | Network | ||||||
| Game of Thrones | 1 | 10 | April 17, 2011 | June 19, 2011 | HBO | D. B. Weiss & David Benioff[73] | Concluded | |
| 2 | 10 | April 1, 2012 | June 3, 2012 | |||||
| 3 | 10 | March 31, 2013 | June 9, 2013 | |||||
| 4 | 10 | April 6, 2014 | June 15, 2014 | |||||
| 5 | 10 | April 12, 2015 | June 14, 2015 | |||||
| 6 | 10 | April 24, 2016 | June 26, 2016 | |||||
| 7 | 7 | July 16, 2017 | August 27, 2017 | |||||
| 8 | 6 | April 14, 2019 | May 19, 2019 | |||||
| House of the Dragon | 1 | 10 | August 21, 2022 | October 23, 2022 | Ryan Condal & Miguel Sapochnik[74] | Released | ||
| 2 | 8 | June 16, 2024 | August 4, 2024 | Ryan Condal[75] | ||||
| 3 | 8 | June 21, 2026 | August 9, 2026 | Airing | ||||
| 4 | TBA | 2028[76] | TBA | In development | ||||
| A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms | 1 | 6 | January 18, 2026 | February 22, 2026 | Ira Parker[77] | Released | ||
| 2 | TBA | 2027[78] | TBA | Filming | ||||
Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
Game of Thrones is roughly based on the storylines of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R. R. Martin, set in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and the continent of Essos.[79] The series began development in January 2007.[79] HBO acquired the television rights to the novels, with David Benioff and D. B. Weiss as the series' executive producers and Martin as a co-executive producer. The intention was for each novel to yield a season's worth of episodes.[79] For filming, the show was shot in multiple countries: United Kingdom, Canada, Croatia, Iceland, Malta, Morocco, and Spain.[80] Nina Gold and Robert Sterne were the series' primary casting directors.[81] Through a process of auditions and readings, the main cast was assembled. The only exceptions were Peter Dinklage and Sean Bean, whom the writers wanted from the start; they were announced as joining the pilot in 2009.[82] The series premiered on April 17, 2011.[83] A critical and commercial success, it ran for eight seasons, concluding in 2019.[84]
Game of Thrones has won numerous awards throughout its run, including 59 Emmy Awards, eight Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Peabody Award. It holds the record for total Emmy Award wins for a scripted television series (surpassing the record of 37 wins held by Frasier since 2004) and for most Emmy nominations for a drama series, with 161.[85][86][87][88] The show was considered a ratings success for HBO throughout all eight seasons.[89][90] The season five episode "The House of Black and White" was simulcasted in 173 countries, becoming the "largest TV drama telecast" according to Guinness World Records.[91]
Game of Thrones' success has been credited with an increase in the fantasy genre's popularity.[92] The show's success led to the commissioning of several fantasy television series, including The Wheel of Time and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power by Amazon Studios.[93] According to Neil Gaiman, whose novels Good Omens and American Gods were adapted for television, Game of Thrones helped to change attitudes towards fantasy on television, but mainly it made big budgets for fantasy series more acceptable.[94]
Language creation
The books describe numerous languages spoken in the fictional world of A Song of Ice and Fire, among them are Dothraki and High Valyrian.[95] For the show, HBO selected the American language creator, David J. Peterson, through a competition among conlangers. The producers gave Peterson a largely free hand in developing the languages based on only a few words of High Valyrian (valar morghulis, valar dohaeris, dracarys) and Dothraki (khalasar, khaleesi) written by Martin in his books.[96][97] In 2014, Living Language released a conversational language course of Dothraki through a book and cd package accompanied with a companion mobile app and an expanded online version.[98] High Vayrian, on the other hand, is offered as a free course on the popular language app, Duolingo.[99]
House of the Dragon (2022–present)
In 2015, with Game of Thrones still in production, HBO executives approached Martin regarding possible successors or spin-offs to the series.[100] In November 2018, Martin stated that a "potential spin-off series would be solidly based on material in Fire & Blood."[101] Game of Thrones creators Benioff and Weiss stated they wanted to "move on" from the franchise and declined involvement in subsequent projects.[102] By September 2019, a Game of Thrones prequel series from Martin and Condal that "tracks the beginning of the end for House Targaryen" was close to receiving a pilot order from HBO.[103] In October 2019, House of the Dragon was given a straight-to-series order.[104] Condal and Sapochnik, who won an Emmy Award for directing the episode "Battle of the Bastards", were selected to serve as showrunners.[105]
House of the Dragon serves as a prequel to the television series Game of Thrones (2011–2019) and is the second television series in the A Song of Ice and Fire franchise. It is based on Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood. The series is set two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones[106] and chronicles the events leading up to the House Targaryen civil war, known as the "Dance of the Dragons", and the war itself. The first season of the series premiered in 2022 and consists of ten episodes.[107]
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026–present)
In February 2013, Martin commented that he had been in discussions with HBO regarding a potential adaptation of his Dunk and Egg novellas.[108] In March 2014, Martin expressed interest in adapting his Dunk and Egg stories for the screen, suggesting that they could serve as the basis for a film.[109] In July 2015, HBO programming president Michael Lombardo remarked that there was "enormous storytelling to be mined" in a prequel to Game of Thrones.[110] A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms series received an official order from HBO in April 2023.[111] By then, Ira Parker, a writer on the first season of House of the Dragon, had already written the script for a pilot episode.[112]
The first season of the series premiered in 2026 and consisted of six episodes.[113] Peter Claffey was cast as Ser Duncan the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg.[114]
Critical response
| Title | Season | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game of Thrones | 1 | 90% (215 reviews)[115] | 80 (28 reviews)[116] |
| 2 | 97% (293 reviews)[117] | 90 (26 reviews)[118] | |
| 3 | 97% (569 reviews)[119] | 91 (25 reviews)[120] | |
| 4 | 97% (571 reviews)[121] | 94 (29 reviews)[122] | |
| 5 | 93% (556 reviews)[123] | 91 (29 reviews)[124] | |
| 6 | 94% (666 reviews)[125] | 73 (9 reviews)[126] | |
| 7 | 93% (479 reviews)[127] | 77 (12 reviews)[128] | |
| 8 | 55% (698 reviews)[129] | 75 (13 reviews)[130] | |
| House of the Dragon | 1 | 90% (875 reviews)[131] | 69 (43 reviews)[132] |
| 2 | 84% (283 reviews)[133] | 73 (40 reviews)[134] | |
| 3 | 92% (108 reviews)[135] | 76 (26 reviews)[136] | |
| A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms | 1 | 94% (163 reviews)[137] | 74 (37 reviews)[138] |
Game of Thrones, particularly the first six seasons, received acclaim, although the show's frequent use of nudity and violence was criticized. The series has an overall rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 86 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim".[139][140] Some critics and publications have called the show among the best HBO series of all time.[141][142] Reviewers of the first season said the series had high production values, a fully realized world and compelling characters.[143] According to Variety, "There may be no show more profitable to its network than 'Game of Thrones' is to HBO. Fully produced by the pay cable and already a global phenomenon after only one season, the fantasy skein was a gamble that has paid off handsomely."[144] According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series made a "strong case for being one of TV's best series"; its seriousness made it the only drama comparable to Mad Men or Breaking Bad.[145] However, towards the final two seasons, due to lack of new material from the books, the series became less character-driven and more reliant on big twists and spectacle.[146] These seasons, especially season eight, received more criticism. Season seven was praised for its action sequences and focused central characters, but received criticism for its pace and plot developments that were said to have "defied logic".[147]
House of the Dragon received favorable reviews from most critics. On the review aggregator website, Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 90% based on 873 reviews, with an average rating of 7.85/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Covering an era of tenuous peace with ferocious – albeit abbreviated – focus, House of the Dragon is an impressive prequel that exemplifies the court intrigue that distinguished its predecessor."[148] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the first season received a score of 69 out of 100 based on 43 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[149] Lorraine Ali of Los Angeles Times said, "The exchange between mother and daughter, and the artful contrast of dueling knights and dutiful midwives, are powerful enough on their own to render the first episode a smashing success and show that “House of the Dragon” has a depth of understanding of its female characters that “GoT” took years to find."[150]
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms received widespread praise. The review aggregator website, Rotten Tomatoes, reported a 94% approval rating, based on 176 critic reviews, with an average rating of 8.25/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a welcome return to Westeros that works better in the buddy-comedy arena rather than solely slaying its competition."[151] Neil Amstrong of the BBC called the series "a total delight from start to finish", rating it five stars. He commended the leads' performances, writing that Claffey and Ansell were "brilliant" and had "extraordinary" chemistry".[152] Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter praised the series' scale, calling it a "smaller, smarter, funnier and more charming glimpse into George R.R. Martin's bigger-is-better realm".[153] Tasha Robinson of Polygon wrote that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was the "best path forward for the franchise", praising the "excellent character work and scene-setting".[154]
Further spin-offs
In January 2021, an adult animated spin-off series was announced to be in development at HBO Max.[155] In July 2021, two more animated series were in development at HBO Max, with one being set in Yi Ti, a nation in Essos loosely based on Imperial China.[156] The working title is The Golden Empire.[157] In March 2021, it was reported that three Game of Thrones spin-offs were in development at HBO; they include 10,000 Ships (from Amanda Segal), a reference to the voyages made by warrior queen Princess Nymeria, who later founds Dorne; 9 Voyages aka The Sea Snake (from Bruno Heller), about the voyages of Corlys Velaryon on his vessel the Sea Snake; and a project based on Flea Bottom, the poorest slum in King's Landing.[158][159] In December 2023, it was announced that The Sea Snake is being developed as an animated series, having been previously announced as a live action series.[160]
Multiple ideas for successor series have not continued into production. In April 2019, Cogman confirmed his prequel would not be moving forward.[161] In June 2022, it was reported that a Jon Snow sequel series with Kit Harington to reprise his role was in early development at HBO.[162] The working title was Snow and Martin confirmed his involvement with the project and that Harington initiated the idea.[159] In April 2024, however, Harington stated the show had been shelved because they could not find a story that excited them enough.[163]
Feature film
Game of Thrones: Aegon's Conquest
On April 14, 2026, Warner Bros. announced at CinemaCon in Las Vegas that a feature film about Aegon's Conquest is in the works, based on the first chapters of Martin's Fire & Blood. The film is set to be written by Beau Willimon and is expected to be released in 2027 or later.[164] The working title Game of Thrones: Aegon's Conquest was also confirmed.[165] This will serve as the franchise's first-ever big-screen entry.[165]
Theatre
Game of Thrones: The Mad King
A stage play called Game of Thrones: The Mad King will have its world premiere by the Royal Shakespeare Company, in partnership with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in August 2026.[166] The four-hour production is set just before the events in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels and will follow the great houses of Westeros during the reign of the Mad King.[167] It is written by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke.[167]
Games
Tabletop games
In 2002, Fantasy Flight Games released a collectible card game titled A Game of Thrones The Card Game.[168] The game was a success and has won two Origins Award in 2002 and 2003.[169][170] In late 2007, the A Game of Thrones CCG was converted into A Game of Thrones LCG (Living Card Game), which ended the random booster packs in favor of fixed packs. The game continued until FFG launched a 2nd edition of this LCG in 2015.[171]
In 2003, Fantasy Flight Games released the strategy board game A Game of Thrones, created by Christian T. Petersen.[172] The Origins Award-winning game allows the players to take on the roles of several of the Great Houses vying for control of the Seven Kingdoms as they try to claim the Iron Throne.[173] In 2011, a second edition was released appropriately titled A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition). This version has since released three expansions, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons, and Mother of Dragons".[174] In 2015, USAopoly (The Op Games) released Risk: Game of Thrones. It is a variant of the board game Risk with changes to incorporate the theme, such as maester cards, character cards, and new maps of Westeros and Essos.[175][176] In the same year, they also launched the Monopoly: Game of Thrones Collector's Edition.[177]
Role-playing games
A role-playing game titled A Game of Thrones was produced by Guardians of Order. The game is designed to be usable with two RPG systems: the d20 System and the Tri-Stat dX system.[178] It was nominated for several ENNIE Awards and won 2006 awards for: Best Production (Silver), Best Game (Silver), and Best d20/OGL Product (Silver).[179]
A role-playing game titled A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying was later published by Green Ronin Publishing in 2009. It uses a custom game system and does not contain rules from either the d20 or Tri-Stat dX systems.[180]
Video games
The success of the HBO TV series, Game of Thrones motivated the development of several video games.
In 2011, Cyanide developed a real-time strategy video game, A Game of Thrones: Genesis, which allows players to partake in the conquest of Westeros beginning generations before the time in which the novels are set.[181] Game of Thrones Ascent, a freemium social network game, was made available by Disruptor Beam in 2013 on Facebook and Kongregate. It was made in collaboration with HBO and Martin. The game combines storytelling and strategy elements, allowing players to lead the life of a nobleman during the time of upheaval portrayed in the novels and the TV series.[182] In 2014, Telltale Games produced a six-episode adventure game titled Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series.[183]
There are also several fan-made modifications ("mods") to commercial video games that allow playing in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. These include a total conversion for the strategy game Crusader Kings II,[184][185] as well as the mods "War of the Usurper" for its predecessor Crusader Kings, "Westeros: Total War The Age of Petty Kings" for Medieval II: Total War, and "A Clash Of Kings" for Mount & Blade: Warband.[186]
Music
| Year | Title | Composer | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Game of Thrones: Season 1 | Ramin Djawadi | [187] |
| 2012 | Game of Thrones: Season 2 | [188] | |
| 2013 | Game of Thrones: Season 3 | [189] | |
| 2014 | Game of Thrones: Season 4 | [190] | |
| 2015 | Game of Thrones: Season 5 | [191] | |
| 2016 | Game of Thrones: Season 6 | [192] | |
| 2017 | Game of Thrones: Season 7 | [193] | |
| 2019 | Game of Thrones: Season 8 | [194] | |
| 2022 | House of the Dragon: Season 1 | [195] | |
| 2024 | House of the Dragon: Season 2 | [196] |
In 2011, Ramin Djawadi was selected to score HBO's fantasy drama, Game of Thrones.[197] Djawadi began composing the music for the show after he had watched the first two episodes of the series that the showrunners Benioff and Weiss sent him, and discussed the concepts of the show with them.[198][199] According to Djawadi, the show creators wanted the main title theme to be about a journey as there are many locations and characters in the show and the narrative that involves much traveling.[198] After Djawadi was shown a preliminary animated Game of Thrones title sequence that the visual effect artists were still working on, he was inspired to write the piece. He said that he started humming what would become the theme tune in the car after seeing the visuals for the title sequence, and conceived of the idea for the theme on the drive back to his studio.[200] The finished theme music was presented to the producer three days later.[201]
Soundtrack albums by Djawadi were released at the end of every season of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. A concert tour, called Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience featuring the music of Game of Thrones took place in 2017.[202] The tour involved an 80-piece orchestra, a choir, and seven custom 360-degree stages. Instruments were specially created for the tour, such as a 12-foot Wildling horn played during the Wildling attack on the Wall section.[203][204] A tour was also arranged for cities in Europe and North America in 2018, with new music from season 7 added.[205]
A companion album, For the Throne: Music Inspired by the HBO Series Game of Thrones, comprising songs that are inspired by the show, was released in 2019.[206] A single, "Power Is Power" by SZA, The Weeknd and Travis Scott, served as the lead single of the album.[207]
Other media
Television specials
Television documentaries
- Game of Thrones: The Last Watch - A 2019 documentary film that chronicles the production of the eighth and final season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. It was directed by Jeanie Finlay and aired on HBO on May 26, 2019, one week after the series finale of Game of Thrones.[208] The documentary features behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with prominent actors and writers, as well as production assistants, costume designers, set decorators, caterers, and carpenters.[209]
- The House That Dragons Built - An HBO original docuseries that takes viewers behind the scenes of House of the Dragon. Each episode showcases everything from set construction and digital effects to cast interviews and producer insight.[210][211]
- A Knight in the Making - Another HBO original docuseries, this time featuring behind-the-scenes of the making of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026) television series.[212]
Aftershows
Thronecast: The Official Guide to Game of Thrones, a series of episodes presented by Geoff Lloyd and produced by Koink, was released on the Sky Atlantic website and the UK iTunes store during the series' run; a new episode, with analysis and cast interviews, was released after each Game of Thrones episode.[213] After the Thrones was a live aftershow during which hosts Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan discussed episodes of the series. It aired on HBO Now, the Monday following each season six episode.[214]
Podcasts
The Official Game of Thrones Podcast is a series of podcasts produced by HBO that features the latest news, weekly commentaries, and exclusive interviews with the cast and crew of all the shows in the franchise.[215] To date, the series has launched The Game of Thrones Anniversary Podcast Special, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Podcast, and The Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon.[215][216][217]
Featurettes
Histories & Lore is a series of short animated videos detailing the mythology of Westeros and Essos as told from the varying perspectives of the characters in Game of Thrones. It is available as an extra feature on the DVD/Blu-ray release for each season of the show. The narrations are provided by the cast members of the show, while the illustrations are from storyboard artist Will Simpson.[218][219][220]
HBO has also released the long-form animations The Dance of Dragons and Conquest & Rebellion: An Animated History of the Seven Kingdoms exclusively for seasons 5 and 7 Blu-ray releases, respectively. The narrations were provided by the Game of Thrones cast members as well.[221][222][223]
Published tie-ins
| Title | Publication date | Writer(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside HBO's Game of Thrones | January 2012 | Bryan Cogman, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (Introduction), George R.R. Martin (Preface) | [224] |
| Inside HBO's Game of Thrones (Collector's Edition) | November 2012 | [225] | |
| Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros | March 2014 | Matthew Reinhart (Designer), Michael Komarck (Illustrator) | [226] |
| Inside HBO's Game of Thrones: Seasons 3 & 4 | October 2014 | C.A. Taylor | [227] |
| Game of Thrones: The Noble Houses of Westeros Seasons 1-5 | October 2015 | Cindy de la Hoz (Editor) | [228] |
| HBO's Game of Thrones Coloring Book | November 2016 | Allan Jefferson, Adriana Melo | [229] |
| Game of Thrones: A Guide to Westeros and Beyond (The Complete Series) | January 2019 | Myles McNutt | [230] |
| Game of Thrones: The Storyboards | May 2019 | William Simpson, Michael Kogge | [231] |
| The Photography of Game of Thrones | November 2019 | Helen Sloan, Michael Kogge, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (Foreword) | [231] |
| The Art of Game of Thrones | November 2019 | Deborah Riley, Jody Revenson, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (Foreword), Gemma Jackson (Preface) | [231] |
| Game of Thrones: The Costumes | November 2019 | Michele Clapton, Gina McIntyre, David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (Foreword) | [231] |
| Fire Cannot Kill A Dragon: Game of Thrones and the Official Untold Story of the Epic Series | October 2020 | James Hibberd | [232] |
| House of the Dragon: Inside the Creation of a Targaryen Dynasty | December 2022 | Gina McIntyre | [233][234] |
| House of the Dragon: The Official Coloring Book | May 2024 | Random House Worlds | [235] |
| The Official Game of Thrones Cookbook: Recipes from King's Landing to the Dothraki Sea | May 2024 | Chelsea Monroe-Cassel, George R.R. Martin (Foreword) | [236] |
| The Official Westeros Cookbook: Recipes from Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon | October 2024 | Cassandra Reeder | [237] |
Exhibits
- Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition - Organized by HBO Global Licensing and the GES Production Company, it was a 1,000-square-meter interactive experience inspired by the show, offering visitors to see the props, weapons, armor, costumes, and original sets that appeared on the screen. The exhibition was made up of several thematic areas representing locations in the series. Examples are the winter landscape of the North, the tree-lined King’s Road, and the capital, King's Landing. The exhibit ran on different city stops worldwide from 2017 through 2019.[238][239][240]
- Game of Thrones Museum - A 300-sq-m attraction in Split, Croatia that opened in May 2019. Over 100 items are on display, including replicas of weapons, costumes, and a dragon head. The museum also includes life-size character statues.[241][242]
- Game of Thrones Studio Tour - A 110,000-sq-ft exhibit in Northern Ireland that officially launched in 2022. Among the exhibits are visual development sketches, props, costumes, and sets, including the original The Great Hall of Winterfell and Castle Black sets, which have remained in place since the show wrapped in 2018. There are also sneak peeks at the prosthetics and visual effects used in the show.[243] In 2025, the studio partnered with Magic Memories, a global leader in experience capture for the attractions industry, to launch the "Dragon Ride Experience". This new attraction utilises advanced green screen video technology, enabling visitors to ride a dragon and soar over the landscapes of Westeros via VFX.[244]
- Game of Thrones: The Exhibition (Arlington, TX) - A Game of Thrones exhibit in the Arlington Museum of Art that ran from October 2025 to April 2026. It showcased an immersive collection of original costumes worn by the iconic characters, props from the show, and a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the 2011 series.[245]
Merchandise
In December 2006, Haute Productions signed a deal with Martin to release a range of resin mini-busts featuring characters from A Song of Ice and Fire under the name Valyrian Resin. The company plans to expand the line to include resin statues and pewter chess sets.[246] In 2007, Dark Sword Miniatures announced a line of pewter miniatures based on the world of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and sculpted by Tom Meier.[247] In 2018, Dark Sword Miniatures in collaboration with CMON Limited released a line of miniatures for use in the A Song of Ice & Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game.[248]
On March 20, 2007, George R. R. Martin announced on his blog[249] that he had "signed a deal with Jalic, Inc. of East Lansing, Michigan, granting them a license to manufacture and sell full-sized high-quality replicas of the arms and armor from A Song of Ice and Fire, under the name Valyrian Steel,[250] starting with the bastard sword Longclaw wielded by Jon Snow (two versions). Since then Valyrian has produced replicas of the Stark family greatsword Ice (in two versions), Arya Stark's Needle, and Robert Baratheon's mighty warhammer. Dragonglass arrowheads and a single dagger have also been produced in a collectible First Men wooden box. Valyrian also announced that it will be producing HBO's show versions of Game of Thrones weapons, which differ in appearance from those described in the Ice and Fire novel series.[251][252][253]
HBO has licensed a variety of merchandise based on Game of Thrones, including games, replica weapons and armor, jewelry, bobblehead dolls by Funko, beer by Ommegang and apparel.[254] High-end merchandise includes a $10,500 Ulysse Nardin wristwatch[255] and a $30,000 resin replica of the Iron Throne.[256] Starting 2018, Diageo released several Game of Thrones themed whiskies.[257]