Here’s some Warner Bros. news that doesn’t have to do with Paramount. At least for now.
A “Game of Thrones” movie is in development with “House of Cards” showrunner and “Andor” writer Beau Willimon writing the screenplay, TheWrap has learned. That’s about all we know right now, and as with everything “Thrones” things could change, but the film is firmly in development.
Page Six Hollywood was first to report the news and speculated that the story could revolve around Aegon I, the legendary Targaryen king who spawned a dynasty.
The Targaryens have been at the center of all things “Thrones” on HBO, with “Game of Thrones” following Daenerys Targaryen’s (Emilia Clarke) quest to usurp the throne, spinoff “House of the Dragon” set in the midst of the Targaryens’ reign and recent spinoff “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” following the squire-ship of Aegon “Egg” Targaryen towards the end of the family’s run atop the Iron Throne.
All, of course, based on George R.R. Martin’s expansive book universe.
Of course, whether the “Game of Thrones” movie sees the light of day depends on many factors. One, not everything “Thrones” that enters development gets greenlit. HBO developed several spinoffs with Martin before deciding to make “House of the Dragon” and eventually “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”
But there is also, of course, the looming sale. Paramount has won the bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, pending regulatory approval. If things move forward, David Ellison said he expects the deal to close this fall, which would be well before this “Thrones” movie would enter production. Meaning if the sale goes through and the Paramount team decides this isn’t the right way to expand the “Thrones” IP, the movie could go away.
Or it might be exactly what they’re looking for. There are many variables at this juncture, but for now we can confirm there is indeed a movie being written and Willimon is the one at the keyboard.
He first came to prominence as a playwright through “Farragut North,” which premiered in 2008. He adapted his own play into the George Clooney film “The Ides of March” in 2011, then created and showran Netflix’s “House of Cards” for several seasons.
Most recently, Willimon worked on both seasons of the Emmy-winning Disney+ “Star Wars” series “Andor,” notably writing much of the Ghorman storyline in Season 2.
