Game of Thrones Execs Share More Details on Abandoned Spin-Off

The Game of Thrones spin-off Bloodmoon cost $30 million to make, and yet it will never see the light of day.

In the lead-up to Game of Thrones‘ conclusion after eight seasons, HBO was eager to expand on the world. And Bloodmoon, which was set during a period in Westeros history called The Long Night, was the first prequel HBO ordered a pilot for. “A lot of the pilot revolved around a wedding of a Southern house to a Northern house,” George R.R. Martin told The Hollywood Reporter, “and it got into the whole history of the White Walkers.”

HBO Executive Vice President Francesca Orsi noted that the network was intrigued by the pilot, describing it as “different, with unique world-building.” She continued, “Tonally it felt very adult, sophisticated and intelligent, and there was a thematic conversation at the center of it about disenfranchisement in the face of colonialism and religious extremism.”

But it wasn’t an easy project to develop, especially since Martin hadn’t written much about that time period. The author himself admitted, “Bloodmoon was a very difficult assignment. We’re dealing with a much more primitive people. There were no dragons yet.”