'Game of Thrones' Prequel: Everything We Know About the Series So Far

Although Game of Thrones still has one season left, many fans of George RR Martin’s fictional world are already gearing up for the next project: the TV prequel series. There are tons of questions we have about the show, such as, what families will be involved? However, there are many aspects we surprisingly do know already, through various spills from Martin himself, casting reports, and more. Here is everything we know so far.

What’s it Called?

Although not confirmed by HBO, Martin did let it slip on his blog that the series is called “The Long Night.” While we’ve pretty much all accepted the title, as it’s even listed as so on IMDb, Martin attempted to backtrack by saying it’s not actually the name yet. The network reportedly was not happy with him for spoiling the name, so it’s assumed he was simply told to deny it.

"HBO has informed me that the Jane Goldman pilot is not (yet) titled THE LONG NIGHT. That is certainly the title I prefer, but for the moment the pilot is still officially UNTITLED. So… mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa,” ​Martin wrote.

What’s it About?

The ​prequel series is set thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, in the Age of Heroes. If Martin’s reveal of the title is true, it will be a bleak period, as the Long Night is what the people of Westeros call the time when darkness fell upon the Known World, lasting for a generation.

Martin recently explained the time frame a bit clearer, explaining that it’s closer to 5,000 years before Thrones, not the 10,000 many originally thought. The story is still set before the rise of Valyria, the city in which the House Targaryen originated. "Westeros is a very different place," Martin stated of the prequel series. "There’s no King’s Landing. There’s no Iron Throne. There are no Targaryens — Valyria has hardly begun to rise yet with its dragons and the great empire that it built. We’re dealing with a different and older world and hopefully that will be part of the fun of the series.”

Who’s Starring in it?

So far, two of the main characters have been cast in the series. The first, and arguably the most exciting, is Academy Award-nominee Naomi Watts, who, according to Variety, is playing “a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret.” Fans have been speculating that because of her blonde hair and light complexion, her character could be someone related to the Lannister line. Josh Whitehouse (Poldark, Alleycats) has also been cast in a mystery role.

Reportedly, a casting call for the series is looking for a pair of twin sisters aged 23-29. We can’t help but hope they’re less incestuous than Jaime and Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones.

Who’s Creating it?

Since it was announced the series was getting a pilot order, co-creators George RR Martin and Jane Goldman, who wrote the screenplays for Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, Kingsman: The Secret Service, and more, have been attached. It will air on HBO.

When Can We Expect it?

Although there is no release date set for the prequel series, we do know that filming will begin in February 2019 in Belfast, Ireland.

This article also appears on Mental Floss.