Game of Thrones fans devastated as HBO axes one spin-off series and puts another on hold
IT HAS been a rollercoaster of emotions for Game of Thrones fans as one spin-off is delayed and another is axed altogether.
Production on the House of the Dragon prequel series was shut down this week and filming delayed due to a Covid outbreak on the UK set.
Filming was put on hold for at least two days after a positive Covid result in the production's 'Zone A', which includes cast and crew, according to a report in Deadline.
A cast member allegedly tested positive and all filming was put on hold until Wednesday in line with UK government guidelines.
The filming delay comes after other big shows such as Netflix's Bridgerton and Matilda were both shut down over positive cases amongst their teams.
Shortly after Game of Thrones ended, the House of Dragon prequel was announced as a 10-episode spin-off for HBO.
The prequel series, which is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, started filming in Cornwall in April.
It's due for release next year and new pictures from the show show an intense conversation between The Crown's Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, and Truth Seekers star Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.
House of the Dragon is based on author George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood books, will follow on from when House Targaryen begins to fall apart and the Dance of the Dragons civil war begins.
It also stars, Paddy Considine, Steve Toussaint, Olivia Cooke, Graham McTavish, Sonoya Mizuno and Rhys Ifans.
In other Game of Thrones news, fans learned this week another spin-off series Flea Bottom will never see the light of day.
The action prequel concept was reportedly in development and based on life in the King’s Landing slum.
But Flea Bottom has been axed because, according to a Hollywood Reporter story, was an idea born from fans and had never been considered by HBO.
It's not all bad news though in Game of Thrones land.
HBO is apparently now working on three animated spin-off series after announcing its first in January.
Even thought it was not mentioned in the original series, one of the animated series will be focussed on The Golden Empire of Yi Ti (or Yi Ti), according to reports.
It is a region in the continent of Further East of Essos at the limits of the mapped world.
George R.R. Martin’s realm is inspired by Imperial China and is considered among fans to be one of the oldest and most advanced societies in his fictional universe.
Yi Ti is ruled by a divine God Emperor and the empire is the supposed successor to the mythic Great Empire of the Dawn, which fell during the Long Night.