The author claims ‘a world of stories’, new or existing, could be adapted for TV beyond the seven books HBO has made into a blockbuster fantasy series

George RR Martin has said that there are “a whole world of stories, waiting to be told” if HBO is interested in continuing the saga of A Game of Thrones beyond the planned seven books.

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The novelist told Entertainment Weekly that “there is certainly no lack of material”, if HBO decides to make a Game of Thrones spin-off, suggesting that the “most natural follow-up” once the saga of A Song of Ice and Fire concludes on television would be to adapt his Dunk and Egg stories. These three prequel novellas are collected as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and tell of the hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, who is known as Egg, but is really Aegon Targaryen, the future king of Westeros. This position, and the House of Targaryen, are crucial in the plot of the Game of Thrones books.

“Each of the novellas could easily be done as a two-hour stand-alone movie for television; that would probably be the ideal way to do them, rather than as an ongoing weekly series,” Martin told Entertainment Weekly. “The Hedge Knight and its sequels are lighter [in tone] than A Song of Ice and Fire, more in the realm of action/adventure.”

Entertainment Weekly contacted Martin following the news that there could be only 13 episodes left in the show following the soon-to-begin sixth season, and that HBO is not currently planning to make a spin-off.

Martin, while confirming that there have not been any discussions about spin-offs, said that “there are eight million stories in Westeros as well … and even more in Essos and the lands beyond. A whole world full of stories, waiting to be told … if indeed HBO is interested.”

The novelist is currently writing the sixth novel in the fantasy series, The Winds of Winter, while the sixth series of the TV adaptation will begin to air worldwide on 24 April. In January, Martin confessed he would not finish writing the book before the TV series aired, later thanking his fans for the “astonishing … outpouring of support” after they sent him messages of encouragement.