Unless you've been hiding under a very large rock since 2011, you know that HBO's Game of Thrones has millions upon millions of fans. One of those fans is director J.J. Abrams, and he says he'd be honored if he were asked to get involved in one of the show's coming prequel series, but he does see a potential drawback for himself.
I'd be honored. . . . I am in awe of what they do, they make movies every episode. I feel like the truth is, I probably wouldn't want to get involved and de-mystify the thing. I just like watching it from the outside in. I've been lucky enough to work with some people. Nina Gold, who casts the show, who I've worked with a couple times now, and Gwendoline Christie, who was in Force Awakens. Anytime I hear anything about behind the scenes on that show, I feel like I want them to stop talking about it because I just love what they create.
It's always good to see someone who's reached such a high point in their career be filled with such admiration for what others do, especially if they're in the same field. And, it's pretty obvious from J.J. Abrams' words to MTV International, whom he spoke to in order to promote his new horror film Overlord, that he's a very big fan of the work that's done to bring Game of Thrones to fans.
While Abrams says he'd be honored if he were asked to direct some of the upcoming episodes for the Game of Thrones prequel spinoff show that's currently the furthest along in production, the one big potential drawback he can see would actually be him getting too involved. For him to direct an episode, he'd need to know all about the tricks that go into bringing the Seven Kingdoms to life on the small screen, and Abrams believes that might actually ruin the fan experience for him as he tries to get absorbed in viewing the show.
This version of Game of Thrones lore will be a bit different from what we've seen from the hit HBO series, though. As the original show entered production on the final set of episodes for the finale season, which will air sometime in 2019, the network began fielding ideas to keep the world alive by doing shows that would deal with the extensive history George R.R. Martin created for this complex fantasy universe.
While it's been reported that about five ideas were at play originally, right now HBO has only given a pilot order to one of those potential shows. This show is currently untitled (even though George R.R. Martin is partial to one particular title), but the show will, supposedly, focus on events from many thousands of years before Game of Thrones began. This is said to include the Age of Heroes during a time of the longest winter, the actual origins of the White Walkers, Starks from ancient times and "mysteries of the East."
With storylines like that to play with, you can both see why J.J. Abrams would be eager to take part in helping to bring the new show to life, but also why he'd want to go in fresh as a fan and have no idea what's coming. Adding to the intriguing plot, though, is the fact that the show has begun casting, with two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts being the first big name cast in the pilot recently. Anyone could understand Abrams wanting to work with what will surely be a stacked cast by the time it's all said and done.
Well, whether J.J. Abrams gets a call to direct some of the Game of Thrones spinoff won't even be decided on for quite a while. The pilot for the proposed show is just now really ramping up production, and it could be some time before we know for sure if HBO decides to put the show on the air. And, if it does go to series, it won't air until after the final season of the mothership show, which we still don't have a concrete return date for.
All of this means that J.J. Abrams and all the other Game of Thrones fans will have to do more of what we've done so well in the past: sit back, think up wild theories about what could be coming...and wait.
