Game of Thrones Prequel Stage Show Announced, Set During Robert's Rebellion and Featuring 'Familiar Characters From Houses Targaryen, Stark, Lannister'

A caller Game of Thrones prequel is acceptable to dramatize the events of Robert's Rebellion, and debut connected the UK signifier this summer.

Game of Thrones: The Mad King is simply a caller collaboration betwixt franchise creator George R.R. Martin and the UK's Royal Shakespeare Company, written by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke. Tickets are acceptable to spell connected merchantability successful April.

The play volition archer the communicative of a important play successful Westeros history, astir 15 years earlier the archetypal Game of Thrones publication and TV series, erstwhile King Aerys II Targaryen was overthrown and Robert Baratheon took over, backed by the Starks and Lannisters.

The events of Robert's Rebellion volition beryllium acquainted to A Song of Ice and Fire fans, arsenic the little civilian warfare is often referenced, and so acts arsenic fundamentally the catalyst for the events of the main Game of Thrones narrative.

Key participants see Robert and Stannis Baratheon, Ned Stark and Tywin Lannister, who instrumentality arms against King Aerys and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. It is of people Jaime Lannister who yet kills Aerys, earning himself the nickname of Kingslayer. Notably, the clip play ends with the commencement of some Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow — the second of whom has his existent parentage hidden.

"A agelong wintertime thaws successful Harrenhal, and outpouring is promised," reads an authoritative blurb. "At a lavish banquet connected the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers conscionable and revelers speculate astir who volition contend. But successful the shadows, amid increasing unease astatine the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his interior ellipse anxiously beforehand a treasonous plot. Far away, the drums of conflict sound.

"Family bonds, past prophecies, and the ineffable enactment of succession volition beryllium tested successful a unsafe run for power. Who volition survive? Who volition rise? 'Wars aren’t won by those with astir cause, but whose story’s champion told.'"

The announcement of a Game of Thrones prequel signifier amusement — with events and characters that volition besides beryllium acquainted to existing fans — follows the palmy motorboat of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which offers a akin concept. That is present playing successful some London and New York, and includes a fistful of other crippled details that TV viewers volition apt find interesting. A filmed mentation for Netflix is besides connected the way.

"When I archetypal wrote Game of Thrones, I ne'er imagined that it would beryllium thing different than a book," George R.R. Martin said successful an accompanying statement. "It was a spot for my imaginativeness to beryllium without limits. To my large surprise, it was adapted for a bid and viewers person been capable to participate the satellite of my imaginativeness done the mean of television. For my enactment to present beryllium adapted for the signifier is thing I did not expect but invited with large enthusiasm and excitement. Theater offers thing unique. A spot for excavation and the audience’s imaginativeness to conscionable and hopefully make thing magical."

While the main Game of Thrones TV bid has present agelong since ended, its wider franchise is continuing connected with gusto. The precise good received prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is wrapping up the extremity of its archetypal play with a 2nd already confirmed. Meanwhile, HBO has begun teasing the upcoming 3rd play of its different prequel bid House of the Dragon.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social