Game of Thrones: Pilot for cancelled spin-off cost HBO over $30m, says former executive

Abandoned series was one of several ‘Thrones’ spin-offs in development

A pilot for an aborted Game of Thrones spin-off cost HBO more than $30m (£22.5m), claims former executive Bob Greenblatt.

Greenblatt is the former chairman of WarnerMedia entertainment, which is the parent company of HBO (now HBO Max).

A new book by journalist James Andrew Miller, entitled Tinderbox: HBO’s Ruthless Pursuit of New Fronteirs, features an interview with Greenblatt, in which he discussed the spin-off.

With Game of Thrones coming to an end in 2018, HBO began developing several prospective spin-offs for their epic fantasy hit.

According to the book, Greenblatt entered the decision-making process after showrunner Jane Goldman’s prospective Thrones pilot had already entered production.

“They had spent over $30m on a Game of Thrones prequel pilot that was in production when I got there,” he said, (per Insider). “And when I saw a cut of it in a few months after I arrived, I said to [HBO’s chief content officer Casey Bloys], ‘This just doesn’t work and I don’t think it delivers on the promise of the original series.’ And he didn’t disagree, which actually was a relief.”

“So we unfortunately decided to pull the plug on it,” he continued. “There was enormous pressure to get it right and I don’t think that would have worked.”

Blonde ambition: Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’ (HBO)

While the project, which was reportedly set thousands of years before the events of Thrones, was abandoned, the network is looking to develop a number of other spin-offs, including House of the Dragon, which arrives on HBO Max next year.

“I’m the one who encouraged Casey to greenlight [House of the Dragon] to series,” Greenblatt said. “I said, ‘Let’s not risk $30m on a pilot.’ So I said, ‘Let’s not make a pilot. Let’s get a great series that we feel good about, and just make it. Or not.”

The Independent has contacted HBO Max for comment.