Game of Thrones Prequel - Naomi Watts to Star in HBO Pilot

HBO has cast Naomi Watts (Gypsy, The Glass Castle) to star in the upcoming ensemble Game of Thrones prequel pilot from Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Kingsman) and Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin per Deadline.

Created by Jane Goldman & George R.R. Martin, the untitled project is set thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones. The project is written by Jane Goldman based on a story by her and Martin per Deadline.

The project Martin refers to as The Long Night chronicles the world's descent from the Golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeros' history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend… it's not the story we think we know.

Watts will play a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret. Her character name has not been revealed.

Goldman will serve as the showrunner and executive produce alongside Martin, Vince Gerardis (Game of Thrones co-executive producer), Daniel Zelman (Damages and Bloodline co-creator), James Farrell (former BBC Studios executive) and Jim Danger Gray (Orange Is the New Black, Hannibal). Chris Symes (The Alienist) will co-executive produce. David Benioff and D. B. Weiss have no involvement in the spinoff series for HBO.

“There are very strong female characters but it’s an ensemble, there are men and women,” he said. “Jane is a very good writer, we don’t want to limit her to writing female leads. There are a lot of very complicated leads in (the pilot).”

Source:

Read More on Deadline

Casting is now underway for THE LONG NIGHT, the first of the GAME OF THRONES successor series to ordered to film. HBO has just announced the first cast member: NAOMI WATTS is coming on board as one of our stars. https://t.co/n0XkxsJG03 pic.twitter.com/uNF5mjPNte

— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) October 31, 2018

I could not be more excited. Welcome to Westeros, Naomi.

Jane Goldman scripted the LONG NIGHT pilot and will be running the show. She and her team are busy in London right now, neck deep in casting, and I expect some more names will be announced soon.

Meanwhile, there are still a couple of other possible prequels in active development. I can’t tell you the subject matter of those projects, no, sorry, wish I could. The readers among you might want to grab a copy of FIRE & BLOOD when it is released on November 20, though.

Source:

George R.R. Martin

After lengthy negotiations, Naomi Watts has signed on to lead the ensemble cast of @HBO’s #GameOfThrones prequel pilot https://t.co/N8X2tymxPL

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) October 30, 2018