George R. R. Martin is living proof that success can be both a blessing and a curse. The Game of Thrones mastermind has become one of the most influential fantasy authors of our time, but he’s also juggling more projects than most people could handle in a lifetime.
From long-overdue novels that have fans pulling their hair out to exciting HBO television series and blockbuster film adaptations, Martin’s plate is overflowing. As of October 2025, the 77-year-old author is somehow balancing at least eleven major projects across books, TV, film, and animation.
From the most mysterious projects with barely any details to the ones that are practically ready to hit our screens, let’s break down everything Martin is working on.
10. A Dream of Spring
Status: Not Yet Started | Release Window: Unknown (Years Away)
Here’s the harsh truth nobody wants to hear: A Dream of Spring, the seventh and final book in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, hasn’t even been started yet. Martin has been crystal clear that he won’t touch this manuscript until The Winds of Winter is complete. Given that The Winds of Winter has been in development hell for 14 years, you can do the math on when we might actually see this conclusion.
The book would theoretically wrap up the storylines of Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, and all our other favorite (and still-living) characters from Westeros. But let’s be real, at this point, fans are more likely to see House of the Dragon Season 10 before this book hits shelves.
Martin’s gardener-style writing approach, where he discovers the story as he writes rather than following a strict outline, means even he doesn’t know exactly how this epic will end. Until The Winds of Winter sees the light of day, A Dream of Spring remains nothing more than a distant, beautiful dream.
9. Flea Bottom & Other Potential HBO Projects
Status: Exploration Phase | Release Window: Unknown
Back in 2021, Deadline reported that HBO was exploring several spinoff ideas set in Martin’s fictional world, and some remain in limbo. Flea Bottom, a project set in King’s Landing’s notorious slum district, was mentioned as one of these concepts but has had no writers attached or significant development updates since.
There’s also been whispers about an Aegon’s Conquest series with writer Mattson Tomlin (who worked on The Batman) attached, chronicling the Targaryens’ brutal takeover of Westeros. Then there’s the Jon Snow sequel series that HBO previously shelved, though CEO Casey Bloys recently hinted (via Deadline)
Maybe we’ll try again,
giving Kit Harington fans a glimmer of hope. Martin signed a five-year deal with HBO back in 2021 to develop more projects, but not everything makes it past the brainstorming phase. With so many Game of Thrones projects already in active development, these remain the “maybe someday” pile: intriguing concepts that could either become the next big thing or fade into development purgatory forever.
8. Fire & Blood Volume 2 (Blood & Fire)
Status: In Progress (Hundreds of Pages Written) | Release Window: TBA (After Winds of Winter Completion)
Martin dropped some tantalizing news in March 2022 when he revealed he was considering the title Blood & Fire for Fire & Blood‘s second volume and had already written a couple of hundred manuscript pages.
This continuation of Targaryen history would pick up where the first volume ended in 136 AC and cover major events like the Blackfyre Rebellions, the Summerhall tragedy, and potentially even Robert’s Rebellion: events that would connect directly to Game of Thrones.
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The problem? Martin has stated he won’t finish this volume until The Winds of Winter is complete, creating yet another bottleneck in his literary universe. The first Fire & Blood volume, published in November 2018, became the foundation for Ryan Condal’s House of the Dragon series starring Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith.
Fans are eager for Volume 2 because House of the Dragon is racing through the Dance of the Dragons storyline, and future seasons might need fresh source material. But with Martin’s track record and his admission that other things constantly “divert my attention,” don’t hold your breath for this one anytime soon (via TIME).
7. New Dunk & Egg Novella
Status: Actively Being Written | Release Window: Unknown
In what some fans consider the ultimate betrayal, Martin confirmed in October 2025 to The Hollywood Reporter that he’s actively working on a new Dunk and Egg story, despite his earlier promise to focus exclusively on The Winds of Winter.
This would be another installment in the Tales of Dunk and Egg series, which follows the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Prince Aegon Targaryen (later King Aegon V). The existing novellas (The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight) have charmed readers with their smaller-scale, more personal stories set in Westeros.
Dunk and Egg from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms pic.twitter.com/mzjiT4SzzW
Martin has always considered Dunk and Egg favorites of his, which probably explains why he keeps returning to them. These novellas are significantly shorter than his main series books, making them easier and faster to write. The timing is interesting since HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms series, based on these stories, is about to premiere, potentially renewing interest in the characters.
Still, the confirmation that Martin is splitting his writing time has sparked fresh concern among readers desperately waiting for The Winds of Winter. It’s like watching someone add more items to their shopping cart when they haven’t paid for what’s already in there.
6. Nine Voyages (Sea Snake)
Status: In Development, Moved to Animation | Release Window: TBA
In a New Year’s Eve 2024 blog update, Martin announced that Nine Voyages (the series about Corlys Velaryon’s legendary sea adventures) has been moved from live action to animation, a decision he “fully supports.” Originally conceived as a live-action series with writer Bruno Heller attached back in 2021, the project would follow the great voyages made by the Sea Snake, played by Steve Toussaint in House of the Dragon. Martin explained that
Budgetary constraints would likely have made a live action version prohibitively expensive, what with half the show taking place at sea, and the necessity of creating a different port every week.
The animated series would visit exotic locations like Driftmark, Lys, the Basilisk Isles, Volantis, Qarth, and more, showing off corners of Martin’s world that would cost a fortune in live action. Martin mentioned on his blog that none of his animated projects have been greenlit yet, but they’re
getting close to taking the next step with a couple of them.
The shift to animation makes sense considering HBO’s success with adult animated series and the practically unlimited visual possibilities animation provides. We’re talking dragons, sea monsters, and fantastical ports without blowing HBO’s entire annual budget on one show.
5. Ten Thousand Ships
Status: New Pilot Being Written | Release Window: TBA
Ten Thousand Ships is back from the dead! After being shelved when original writer Brian Helgeland’s version was rejected, Pulitzer Prize winner Eboni Booth is now crafting a fresh pilot script for this Game of Thrones spinoff.
Martin confirmed the news in June 2024 on his blog while congratulating Booth on winning the Pulitzer for her play Primary Trust. The series would chronicle the epic journey of warrior princess Nymeria, who led the Rhoynar people on a desperate exodus from Valyria across the seas with ten thousand ships, eventually landing in Dorne, where she became one of the most legendary rulers in Westeros history. Martin joked about the production challenges:
We’re all very excited about this one… though we’re still trying to figure out how we’re going to pay for ten thousand ships, three hundred dragons, and those giant turtles.
The story offers incredible potential. Imagine years of Nymeria’s journey visiting far-flung locales, followed by seasons covering the wars that unified Dorne under her rule. Booth’s involvement is promising since Martin and HBO clearly have confidence in her vision.
Whether HBO pulls the trigger and greenlights a full series remains to be seen, but having an active writer working on it puts this project miles ahead of many other Game of Thrones spinoff concepts floating around.
4. A Dozen Tough Jobs (Animated Film)
Status: In Development with Animation Studio Attached | Release Window: TBA
Martin stirred up controversy in May 2025 when he announced he was producing an animated adaptation of his late friend Howard Waldrop’s A Dozen Tough Jobs. The project, developed with Lion Forge Entertainment CEO David Steward II and president Stephanie Sperber, reimagines Hercules’ twelve labors in 1920s Mississippi, where the Greek hero becomes a former sharecropper fighting for his freedom.
The film will be animated by Blue Spirit studio, known for its elevated style and craft. Martin addressed the inevitable backlash on his blog:
I know, I know. Some of you will just be pissed off by this, as you are by everything I announce here that is not about Westeros or The Winds Of Winter. You have given up on me, or on the book.
He went on to sarcastically list fans’ usual criticisms about never finishing his books. Despite the blowback, Martin seems genuinely excited about bringing his friend Waldrop’s work to life. David Steward II praised Martin’s involvement, saying (via The Hollywood Reporter)
If anyone understands the power of epic stories and expansive franchises, it’s George RR Martin.
The project represents Martin’s growing interest in animation as a medium, which makes sense given the creative freedom it provides compared to live-action constraints.
3. Elden Ring Movie
Status: In Pre-Production with Director and Studio Confirmed | Release Window: TBA (Multiple Years Away)
The Elden Ring movie is actually happening, folks! Officially announced in May 2025, A24 and filmmaker Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Civil War, Warfare) are bringing FromSoftware’s award-winning video game to the big screen.
Garland will write and direct, with production handled by Peter Rice, Andrew Macdonald, and Allon Reich from DNA, alongside Martin and his longtime collaborator Vince Gerardis. Martin contributed to the worldbuilding for the original 2022 game created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, which has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and won multiple Game of the Year awards. On his blog, Martin enthusiastically endorsed the project:
A24 is a kickass studio, and Alex Garland is a first rate director.
Reports indicate Garland is in talks with Kit Connor (Heartstopper, Warfare) to star, though scheduling issues still need to be worked out. The film faces the challenge of adapting Elden Ring‘s famously cryptic narrative into a coherent movie, but Garland’s track record with cerebral sci-fi gives fans hope.
Martin’s involvement is particularly interesting given his limited time, though he noted his role might depend on finishing The Winds of Winter first. Still, with a studio, director, and potential lead actor all in place, this project is light-years ahead of many items on this list.
2. The Winds of Winter
Status: In Progress (14 Years and Counting) | Release Window: Unknown (Definitely Not 2025)
The elephant in the room. The Winds of Winter has become modern literature’s most infamous case of creative delay, missing every deadline Martin has set since 2011. Originally promised around 2014, the sixth book in A Song of Ice and Fire remains unfinished 14 years later. In an April 2025 interview with TIME, Martin called the delay
The curse of my life,
acknowledging it’s now 13 years behind schedule. He’s blamed everything from television productions to managing his Santa Fe bookstore to legal battles with OpenAI over artificial intelligence. Martin revealed in his blog he wrote
hundreds and hundreds of pages
during 2020’s pandemic lockdown, calling it his best year on the project, though he still needed “hundreds of more pages” to reach a satisfactory conclusion.
George R.R. Martin on speculation over the release date of #TheWindsOfWinter
"When Winds of Winter is done, the word will not trickle out, there WILL be a big announcement… where and when I cannot say" pic.twitter.com/UxE6Z6EkTA
The manuscript is expected to exceed 1,500 pages when complete. In October 2025, Martin confirmed he’s simultaneously working on a new Dunk & Egg novella despite earlier promises to focus solely on Winds. The book would continue storylines for characters like Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, and Sansa Stark from where A Dance with Dragons left off in 2011.
Martin describes himself as a “gardener” writer who discovers the story as he goes rather than following a strict outline, leading to constant rewrites. At this point, fans have accepted this book might never arrive. Or, if it does, will we even remember what happened in the previous books?
1. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight
Status: Post-Production Complete, Ready to Air | Release Window: January 18, 2026 (Confirmed)
Finally, something Martin fans can actually mark on their calendars! A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight will premiere January 18, 2026, on HBO and Max, consisting of six episodes. Created by showrunner Ira Parker (who wrote for House of the Dragon season 1) alongside Martin himself, the series adapts Martin’s beloved novella The Hedge Knight.
Peter Claffey (Bad Sisters) stars as Ser Duncan the Tall, a young, naive but courageous hedge knight, while 11-year-old Dexter Sol Ansell (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) plays his diminutive squire, Prince Aegon Targaryen, nicknamed “Egg.”
The supporting cast includes Finn Bennett as Prince Aerion Targaryen and Bertie Carvel as Prince Baelor “Breakspear” Targaryen. Set 90 years before Game of Thrones and over 100 years after House of the Dragon, the series promises a more grounded, intimate story compared to the sprawling dragon battles and political intrigue of its predecessors. Martin gushed on his blog:
I’ve seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them. Dunk and Egg have always been favorites of mine, and the actors we found to portray them are just incredible.
He even confirmed the team is already working on season 2, adapting more Dunk & Egg tales. The first trailer dropped at New York Comic-Con 2025, showcasing medieval tournaments, jousting sequences, and muddy, gritty action that Parker described as capturing (via Deadline),
The pain, the agony, the irritation
of being a knight.
So there you have it: every George R. R. Martin project currently in the works, from the nebulous to the nearly-here. While we’re thrilled about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms arriving in just a few months, the elephant-sized question remains: will Martin ever finish The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring? Only time will tell, but at least we’ve got plenty of Westeros content to keep us busy while we wait.
What do you think about Martin’s packed schedule? Are you excited for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, or are you team “finish the books first”? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
Want to catch up on Martin’s existing work? House of the Dragon seasons 1-2 are streaming on Max, while the original Game of Thrones series (all eight seasons) is also available on Max. You can pick up the first five A Song of Ice and Fire books (A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons) at your favorite bookstore or digital retailer. Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC for anyone wanting to experience Martin’s video game worldbuilding firsthand.
