words Alexa Wang
Game of Thrones was one of the most iconic TV series’ of the century. Not only did the show bring in 13.6 million viewers for the finale alone and make an estimated $3.1bn through HBO subscriptions alone, but it also changed how we consume and make TV forever.
Before Game of Thrones, you would never have found Orlando Bloom, Meryl Streep, or Ewan McGregor starring in a TV series. While the ashes of King’s Landing burn, we finally finish reading the Easter Eggs that indicate why Bran was supposed to be on the Iron Throne, and get over the surprise death in the finale, what can we do to keep our love of Game of Thrones alive?
Source: Pixabay
The Spin-Off
The rushed ending for Game of Thrones on the part of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss means that so many questions have been left unanswered. Luckily for fans – and for the production companies who made millions from the franchise – a spin-off is already underway. Fans have had their own ideas as to what a successful spin-off might look like, but it seems that the prequel set thousands of years before the show starring Naomi Watts, Miranda Richardson, and John Simm has already begun filming in Northern Ireland. Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class writer) will be the showrunner of the series that is set before the Iron Throne.
News has trickled down that another spin-off, featuring the Targaryen family could also be ready to begin shooting its pilot. With Colony creator and exec producer Ryan Condal on board based on an outline drafted by Brian Cogman, the series will be set 300 years before the events of the main series and is highly speculated to be soon ordered as a pilot. If both come to fruition – and the three others that are being talked about – fans will have their pick of possible avenues their Game of Thrones love could take.
Source: Pixabay
Game of Canada
The popularity of Game of Thrones has led to the franchise expanding into a multitude of areas as fans can’t get enough of the fantasy show, with video games and merchandise being examples of this. Naturally, this has also led to shows and other forms of entertainment taking inspiration from this show and its setting. GameofCanada features a cast of Canadian actors and actresses taking on the characters from Game of Thrones. Malin Åkerman could play a reimagined Daenerys Targaryen, while Rachel McAdams is Sansa Stark, and Ryan Reynolds is Jon Snow, and Justin Bieber is a reimagined Jaime Lannister. The game takes the universally enjoyed elements of the TV and book series and localizes them for the Canadian audience. King’s Landing is reimagined as the old town Quebec, Winterfell is The Fortress of Old Quebec City, while Vaes Dothrak, home of Khal Drogo, is the Aberfoyle Antique Market.
Game of Thrones took recognizable elements – the temperament of those who live in the colder climate, the prevalence of trading and flogging wares at markets – and wrapped them up in the fantasy series. So it makes sense that they have been reimagined as they would be in modern-day Canada.
Game of Thrones was a TV phenomenon unlike no other, so it’s only right that we commemorate its greatness by continuing our support of the show and its ever-expanding franchise. Whether we decide to re-watch the series, play the associated games, watch the spin-off, or even travel to Dubrovnik to see where it was set, Game of Thrones may have officially ended, but its place in our hearts has really only just begun.
