Game of Thrones Returns: Is HBO's Latest Sequel the Jon Snow Series Fans Wanted?

HBO is returning to Westeros, but the comeback isn't taking the form many fans had hoped for. After years of anticipation surrounding a Jon Snow–focused sequel, the network has quietly shifted course.

George R.R. Martin has now confirmed that 'a sequel or two' is in development, sparking renewed hope, renewed debate, and renewed confusion.

As the franchise expands again, the central question becomes unavoidable: Is HBO finally delivering the Jon Snow continuation audiences wanted, or moving in an entirely new direction?

The Sequel That Never Happened

For years, the Jon Snow series was considered the most likely path toward repairing Game of Thrones' divisive ending. Reports suggested Kit Harington was attached, and early development was underway. But that project is now officially cancelled.

Still, Martin's latest comments at the 2025 Iceland Noir Festival reveal that HBO hasn't abandoned the idea of sequels completely. Answering a question about upcoming Game of Thrones shows, he confirmed 'a sequel or two' is being developed, a revelation that caught even longtime followers of the franchise by surprise.

The announcement comes as HBO continues to invest heavily in the Thrones universe, with House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms now renewed through 2028. Yet Martin did not specify whether these new sequels will revisit the surviving characters from the original series or introduce a fresh generation of Westeros stories.

Filling the Gaps Left by Season 8

A sequel, especially one set immediately after the events of Game of Thrones, has long been viewed as the most straightforward way to address the unresolved questions from Season 8. The final season's rushed pacing left arcs fragmented and fans dissatisfied.

The aftermath remains fertile ground for storytelling:

• Jon Snow's exile beyond the Wall
• Sansa Stark ruling an independent North
• Arya Stark's voyage west of Westeros
• Bran Stark's early reign as king
• Lingering political fractures across the Seven Kingdoms

These unresolved threads explain why fans pushed so strongly for a Jon Snow sequel specifically. But with the original Snow project shelved, it remains unclear whether the newly teased sequels will pick up these storylines or bypass them in favour of new plots.

What Martin Confirmed And What He Didn't

At the same festival session, Martin highlighted the broader slate of Westeros projects already known to be in development, including House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, An Aegon the Conqueror prequel and the animated series 10,000 Ships

He added that there are five or six projects currently in development, and that he is collaborating with other writers. However, he stopped short of revealing whether the sequels will feature familiar characters, whether they will be live-action or animated, or how directly they will connect to the original show's timeline.

A Return to Westeros, Maybe?

So, is the new sequel the Jon Snow continuation audiences have been anticipating for years? Not yet and possibly not at all.

But Martin's confirmation that sequels do exist in early development marks HBO's clearest signal in years that the world beyond Season 8 is not closed forever. Whether the new shows will address unresolved storylines or pivot in an entirely new direction remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, fans can only watch closely as HBO reshapes the future of Game of Thrones one sequel, prequel, or spinoff at a time.