George R.R. Martin writing new Game of Thrones play that will bring back dead characters

Game of Thrones
(Image credit: HBO)

George R.R. Martin is developing a brand new Game of Thrones play set to head to Broadway sometime in the future. 

It's been confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter that the play will see the return of beloved characters, with its focus on the Great Tourney. Unlike the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, the play could seemingly bring back characters including Ned Stark, Lyanna Stark, Jaime Lannister, Lord Robert Baratheon, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince Oberyn Martell, Ser Barristan Selmy, and more. 

In the A Song of Ice and Fire books, the Great Tourney was held over 10 days and was considered a huge competition in Westeros history, with all the aforementioned characters playing a part. 

George R.R. Martin himself weighed in on the upcoming project as well. “The seeds of war are often planted in times of peace,” Martin noted. “Few in Westeros knew the carnage to come when highborn and smallfolk alike gathered at Harrenhal to watch the finest knights of the realm compete in a great tourney, during the Year of the False Spring. It is a tourney oft referred during HBO's Game of Thrones, and in my novels, A Song of Ice & Fire … and now, at last, we can tell the whole story... on the stage.”

The official synopsis of the play details that "the production will boast a story centered around love, vengeance, madness, and the dangers of dealing in prophecy, in the process revealing secrets and lies that have only been hinted at until now."

The Game of Thrones play is expected to arrive in New York, London's West End, and in Australia initially, with a launch date scheduled for some time in 2023. In other news, George R.R. Martin has signed a five-year deal with HBO.

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Amelia is now the Streaming Editor for IGN, but formerly worked for What To Watch, and GamesRadar. She writes about all things TV and movies.