Naomi Watts cast in ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel series

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Hold all the doors! In a move that was somehow both out of the blue and utterly unsurprising, HBO in June 2018 gave the green light to a Game of Thrones prequel pilot from George RR Martin — the author behind A Song of Ice and Fire, the books upon which the original show is based — and screenwriter Jane Goldman (Kingsman: The Secret Service).

That project now has another confirmed cast member, with Poldark actor Josh Whitehouse joining previously announced female lead Naomi Watts in the series.

The character Whitehouse will play in the series is a bit of a mystery; no details were revealed in the casting announcement made by The Hollywood Reporter. All that’s known about his character is that he’ll play “a key role, though not the central male lead.”

Whitehouse is best known for his portrayal of Hugh Armitage in period drama Poldark, and will appear next in a remake of 1983’s Valley Girl.

Just a few days before Whitehouse joined the series’ cast, the Game of Thrones prequel added some serious star power with Watts, a two-time Oscar nominee, joining the show in a lead role.

According to Variety, Watts will play “a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret” in the series, which is expected to begin filming in early 2019.

HBO confirmed the scheduled start of production on the pilot during the Television Critics Association (TCA) summer press event. The network is reportedly looking for a director to helm the pilot, with Goldman attached as showrunner and executive producer alongside Martin and several other Game of Thrones executive producers.

.@HBO boss Casey Bloys on @GameOfThrones prequel pilot: Starting search for director, hoping to start shooting next year. #GameofThrones #TCA18

— Debra Birnbaum (@debrabirnbaum) July 25, 2018

The series will be set thousands of years before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire. It reportedly involves the final days of the Age of Heroes, a time when many great kings and heroes (Bran the Builder, Lann the Clever, the Grey King) lived. Due to the era in which the show is set, HBO and Goldman have indicated that Game of Thrones fans shouldn’t expect to see any of their favorite characters in the prequel series.

The show is said to chronicle “the world’s descent from the Age of Heroes into its darkest hour, and only one thing is for sure: From the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the White Walkers, it’s not the story we think we know.”

Rumors surrounding multiple prequel projects have been flying for a while. It is a bit surprising, though, that Martin would offer his assistance on this particular project, considering he was less than pleased when Thrones deviated heavily from the books (the sixth volume, The Winds of Winter, has been delayed several times thus far).

Apparently, Goldman “won” a sort of contest at HBO in which five writers came up with ideas for prequels and spinoffs; the other four are “still under consideration” at HBO. Her previous writing credits include Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, and X-Men: Days of Future Past, and she will be writing the script for Disney’s upcoming live-action Little Mermaid reboot.

Game of Thrones will conclude its eight-season run in 2019, after which showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will go on to develop a trilogy of Star Wars films for Disney. The two reportedly “elected not to be involved” with Goldman’s prequel project.

Updated on November 1, 2018: Added casting news for Josh Whitehouse.

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