'Game of Thrones' spin-off: Don't expect 4 shows; Only one will be selected

The internet was abuzz recently with news of HBO developing four new TV shows as spin-off to the highly popular “Game of Thrones” series. Programming President Casey Bloys has confirmed that there will be only one spin-off that will be selected as a replacement.

HBO has put forward four stories for a “Game of Thrones” spin-off in a sort of trial by combat. Only the best script seen as a worthy successor will be selected. “I want to put the prequels in context,” Bloys told Entertainment Weekly. He explained that the bar set by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss is so high they are now working hard to find something that can live up to the same standards.

“We have some amazing writers who want to take a shot at this. They’re also looking at different times in the universe and all will have different feels. This increases our odds of finding one that’s unique,” Bloys said.

Bloys did not give clues about what characters or time periods HBO was looking at, mostly because they want to focus on giving the currently running “Game of Thrones” series a proper send-off, and also because the scripts are still in their early stages of development.

While selecting the new projects, Bloys keeps an open mind. HBO prefers to have a series that can run for years, the way Benioff and Weiss’ show has been delivering. They are, however, willing to accept a script that works only as a limited series.

Benioff and Weiss apparently don’t want their names tagged to the prequel. They feel that adding their name will lead to some expectations, and this will add to their responsibility. After spending years working on the show, they now prefer to enjoy the spin-off as fans.