1. Westeros is divided into roughly 100 kingdoms in the prequel. âWe talk about the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros; there were Seven Kingdoms at the time of Aegonâs Conquest,â Martin says. âBut if you go back further then there are nine kingdoms, and 12 kingdoms, and eventually you get back to where there are a hundred kingdoms â petty kingdoms â and thatâs the era weâre talking about here.â The Seven Kingdoms maintained some degree of order (at least, until war broke out). So it sounds like Westeros could be even more dangerous and chaotic and lawless than it is in GoT â like Wild West Westeros.
2. There are Starks and direwolves. The pack survives. This should be obvious given the time period (the Starks were descended from the First Men), but in case there was any doubt Martin confirms the fan-favorite family is around. âThe Starks will definitely be there,â he said. And while much has been made about the fact the prequel predates dragons, that doesnât mean there wonât be other creatures. âObviously the White Walkers are here â or as theyâre called in my books, The Others â and that will be an aspect of it,â Martin says. âThere are things like direwolves and mammoths.â
3. There will not be any Lannisters â at least not at first⌠The prequel predates the rise of the Lannister family, Martin says. But there is another family currently residing in the future Lannister homestead. âThe Lannisters arenât there yet, but Castlery Rock is certainly there; itâs like the Rock of Gibraltar,â he says. âItâs actually occupied by the Casterlys â for whom itâs still named after in the time of Game of Thrones.â The Casterlys were supposedly swindled from their homestead by Lann the Clever â who founded House Lannister â though itâs unclear if this tale will be told in the prequel.
4. Itâs a true ensemble. HBOâs cast breakdown appeared to suggest the show might be led by a trio of female leads (Naomi Watts, Naomi Ackie, and Denise Gough). Asked about this, Martin said the prequel â like Game of Thrones â is more accurately described as an ensemble story. âI hesitate to use the word âlead,ââ Martin says. âAs you know for Game of Thrones, we never even nominated anybody for lead actress or lead actor [during awards season] until recently; it was always for supporting [categories] because the show is such an ensemble. I think that will be true for this show too. We donât have leads so much as a large ensemble cast.â
5. The show might get a slightly different title than the one youâre expecting. The prequel is still officially untitled, Martin emphasizes. In the past, the author has suggested the title The Long Night. One behind-the-scenes factor that complicated this choice is that the third episode of Game of Thrones season 8 is also titled âThe Long Night.â While The Long Night remains Martinâs preferred title, there is another similar possibility being considered. âI heard a suggestion that it could be called The Longest Night, which is a variant I wouldnât mind,â he says. âThat would be pretty good.â