Games of Thrones’ creator George R. R. Martin is heading back to Ireland after his latest series Nightflyers received a significant funding boost from the Irish Film Board.

The supernatural thriller, which is based on his own novella, has received €850,000 ($1.1M) from the Irish funding agency, the largest single award in the association’s latest funding round.

Nightflyers will film at Limerick’s Troy Studios after cable network Syfy handed the drama a series order earlier this month with Netflix coming on board for international rights to the Universal Cable Productions show.

Jeff Buhler (Jacob’s Ladder) wrote the adaptation of Nightflyers, which follows eight maverick scientists and a powerful telepath who embark on an expedition to the edge of our solar system aboard The Nightflyer – a ship with a small tightknit crew and a reclusive captain — in the hope of making contact with alien life. But when terrifying and violent events begin to take place they start to question each other — and surviving the journey proves harder than anyone thought.

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Elsewhere, the Irish Film Board handed out support to Carmel Winters’ Float Like A Butterfly, set in 1970’s Ireland, Dave Tynan’s Dublin Oldschool; adapted from Emmet Kirwan’s critically acclaimed play, Mary McGuckian’s A Girl From Mogadishu, Hugh O’Conor’s directorial debut Metal Heart, Sean Mullen’s animated feature The Overcoat, featuring the voice talents of Cillian Murphy and Lenny Abrahamson’s supernatural horror thriller The Little Stranger.

The latest funding round comes after a successful year for the Irish film industry, which saw Irish Film Board-supported production output of €84m (US$105M), a 58% increase on 2016.

The association is now looking at new initiatives to support female talent, an increase in regional production spending and a commitment of €6 million for Irish animation over the next three years.

IFB Chair Dr Annie Doona said: “As is evidenced in the wonderfully varied 2018 slate of productions, the definition of ‘Irish film’ continues to evolve and transform, as well as entertain and delight. We strive for this annual showcase of Irish creative talent to be as equal and diverse as possible because supporting a multiplicity of Irish voices is integral to the work of the IFB.

“We have made some progress in the implementation of our Six Point Plan on Gender Equality, and we remain committed to achieving all targets set in our strategy in the years ahead. What our audiences see on screen not only reflects society but challenges, subverts and ultimately transforms it. The screen is a powerful channel,” she said.