Get ready to be splattered with fake blood in the theatre, because Game Of Thrones The Broadway Play is in the works.
This is no April Fools joke. Following in the footsteps of other cultural phenomena like Star Wars, there are currently six G.O.T spinoffs brewing for HBO Max (two prequels, an animated series, and three other offshoots) and now a broadway play.
The Hollywood Reporter penned that producers, Simon Painter and Tim Lawson, who were responsible for the Broadway magic show The Illusionists, will be at the helm of the production. The story will be written by George R. R. Martin himself with help from English playwright Duncan MacMillan.
The story takes place during a festival called The Great Tourney at Harrenhal. According to Westeros lore, the ten-day event took place sixteen years before the Game of Thrones story began.
The archery and jousting tournaments at the festival are basically considered The Olympics of Westeros, so the fact that the story takes place during this time bodes well for an exciting, and chonky plot.
“The play will for the first time take audiences deeper behind the scenes of a landmark event that previously was shrouded in mystery,” reads the official synopsis of the play.
“Featuring many of the most iconic and well-known characters from the series, the production will boast a story centered around love, vengeance, madness and the dangers of dealing in prophecy, in the process revealing secrets and lies that have only been hinted at until now.” Hell yeah.
No announcement has been made revealing which characters will be featured, however, going off Martin’s previously published text, the festival’s attendees included Ned and Lyanna Stark, Jaime Lannister, Lord Robert Baratheon, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince Oberyn Martell and Ser Barristan Selmy. So, there’s a strong chance at least a few of these fan-favourites will pop up on stage.
George R.R. Martin is developing a ‘Game of Thrones’ play set during the Great Tourney at Harrenhal
Characters such as Ned Stark, Jaime Lannister, Robert Baratheon, and Oberyn Martell will return
(via @THR) pic.twitter.com/ggzzSNjoW7
— Game of Thrones Facts (@thronesfacts) March 30, 2021
“The seeds of war are often planted in times of peace,” Martin said in a statement.
“Few in Westeros knew the carnage to come when highborn and smallfolk alike gathered at Harrenhal to watch the finest knights of the realm compete in a great tourney, during the Year of the False Spring. It is a tourney oft [often] referred during HBO’s Game of Thrones, and in my novels, A Song of Ice & Fire … and now, at last, we can tell the whole story… on the stage.”
George R.R. Martin is developing prequels, sequels, spinoffs, and a whole Broadway play to avoid writing that next Game of Thrones book.
This is the level of procrastination to which I aspire. pic.twitter.com/luYxpr7HQW
— Eric Haywood (@EricHaywood) March 30, 2021
Martin continued to praise his producers and collaborators, noting his excitement to see his “world and characters” cross over into reality.
“Their knowledge and love of my world and characters has impressed me from the very first, and their plans for this production blew me away since the first time we met.”
Most excitingly, Martin concluded, “Our dream is to bring Westeros to Broadway, to the West End, to Australia… and eventually, to a stage near you,” he added. “It ought to be spectacular.”
Yep, you heard that right. Winter is coming…to Australia. Time to start organising the cosplay gear.
