George RR Martin teases new details about the Game of Thrones prequel series: "The Starks will definitely be there"

George RR Martin has taken some time out from writing The Winds of Winter, the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, to discuss the forthcoming Game of Thrones prequel TV show being produced by HBO.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the author teased that we may be seeing some familiar names (just the names, not the characters) in the series, which will take place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones.

“The Starks will definitely be there,” he told the publication. And although the series will predate the arrival of dragons in Westeros, that does not mean other familiar creatures will not be roaming around. “Obviously the White Walkers are here — or as they’re called in my books, The Others — and that will be an aspect of it,” Martin said. “There are things like direwolves and mammoths.”

One family who won't be appearing in the prequel series is The Lannisters. “The Lannisters aren’t there yet, but Casterly Rock is certainly there; it’s like the Rock of Gibraltar,” Martin said. “It’s actually occupied by the Casterlys — for whom it’s still named after in the time of Game of Thrones."

A recent leak claimed that the Game of Thrones prequel series is going by the title Bloodmoon. Martin, though, is still holding out hope that the network will decide to name the series The Long Night, or a variation thereof. 

“I heard a suggestion that it could be called The Longest Night, which is a variant I wouldn’t mind,” he said. “That would be pretty good.”

The Game of Thrones prequel series currently does not have an air date, though is expected to start filming at some stage this year.

For more Game of Thrones, read about all the questions we have remaining after the main series finished.