Maybe bringing balance to the Seven Kingdoms means HBO Max shelving some of its myriad “Games Of Thrones” spinoffs in development. At least, that’s apparently what producers at HBO think. EW reports that, in his latest blog post, “Thrones” creator George R.R. Martin admitted that a couple of Westeros-related projects “have been shelved” amid the shakeups after the HBO Max-Discovery+ merger. However, Martin doesn’t think those shelvings are permanent.
READ MORE: Kit Harington Teases Jon Snow’s Post-‘Game Of Thrones’ Status In A Potential Sequel Series
“Some of those are moving faster than others, as is always the case with development,” Martin said in his new blog post. “None have been greenlit yet, though we are hoping… maybe soon. A couple have been shelved, but I would not agree that they are dead. You can take something off the shelf as easily as you can put it on the shelf.” Martin didn’t mention which of the “Thrones” spinoffs got the proverbial ax recently, but there are plenty of possibilities. All told, HBO Max had potentially four live-action and three animated series set in Westeros, with a couple of those projects being in development since the original “Thrones” series ended in 2019.
The most anticipated of the lot may be a sequel series that follows the further adventures of Kit Harrington‘s Jon Snow. Harrington hyped up the idea of a potential series earlier this year, as did Emilia Clarke. But there’s also “Tales Of Dunk And Egg,” about the knightly adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and a young Aegon V Targaryen, “The Sea Snake,” which focuses on Corlys Velaryon, and “10,000 Ships,” all about Princess Nymeria, a distant relative of House Martell. Then on the animated side, there’s “The Golden Empire,” which takes place in Westeros’ version of Imperial China, Yi Ti.  
But with all of the various upheavals at Warner Bros. Discovery, who knows if any of these “Game Of Thrones” spinoffs will ever get greenlit? The critical success of “House Of The Dragon” guarantees at least a couple of them will see the small screen at some point. However, David Zaslav isn’t shy about nixing titles as he shifts his company’s direction. The CEO announced HBO Max and Discovery+’s merger after he canceled “Batgirl” mid-post-production. And Zaslav also canceled or removed several titles from the HBO Max library this year, including “Minx,” “Love Life,” “Legendary,” “Gordita Chronicles,” and others. One imagines Zaslav’s radical restructuring will continue into the new year. 
As for Mr. Martin, he’s hard at work on “so many bloody things” in his “Game Of Thrones” world that his “head may soon explode.” Of course, there’s “The Winds Of Winter,” the next entry in his book series that Martin may never finish. But Martin is also working on Season 2 of “House Of The Dragon,” the first season proving HBO still has a cash cow on its hands with “Game Of Thrones.” So, even if some of the seven “Thrones” spinoffs never make it onto HBO Max, expect at least one or two to head into production to capitalize on the new series’ success.