At a Glance
- HBO is quietly reviving the previously shelved Jon Snow sequel series with a new creative team and setting
- Kit Harington’s original bleak concept-Jon in exile building and burning cabins-has been scrapped
- The reworked show would pair Jon with Arya in Essos, requiring both Kit Harington and Maisie Williams to return
- Why it matters: Thrones fans may finally get a post-series story, but the actor most tied to it wants nothing to do with Westeros
A once-dead Game of Thrones sequel starring Kit Harington’s Jon Snow is back on HBO’s development slate, though the actor himself says he will never reprise the role.
The First Idea: Jon Beyond the Wall
Two years after news broke that HBO had shelved a Jon-centric follow-up, News Of Fort Worth reports that executives are again exploring ways to continue Snow’s story. The original version, developed by Harington with writers from his BBC miniseries Gunpowder, painted an unsparing portrait of the former Lord Commander:
- Traumatized by the events of the main series, Jon wanders the far north in self-imposed exile
- He repeatedly constructs and then burns small cabins to stay busy and avoid confronting his grief
- He discards Longclaw and sends Ghost away, cutting his last ties to heroism
- The planned arc ended not with redemption but with Jon’s permanent death
George R.R. Martin, who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter for a new profile, acknowledged that he initially resisted a direct sequel. He feared locking the TV ending more firmly in the public mind before finishing his A Song of Ice and Fire novels. Still, he felt Jon’s isolation at the series’ close made the character the safest entry point for more TV material without revealing fates for the rest of Westeros.
HBO Balked at the Bleakness
According to News Of Fort Worth‘s review of the THR piece, network executives were cool on the grim premise. By spring 2024 Harington confirmed the project was dead, telling interviewers the concept no longer had momentum.
The New Direction: Essos and Arya
The revival now underway swaps the frozen north for the eastern continent of Essos and adds a second Stark:
- Drops of God writer Quoc Dang Tran is developing the rejigged concept
- Jon would be joined by Arya, who sailed west of Westeros in the finale
- Story specifics remain under wraps, but the tone is expected to be more adventure-driven than Harington’s existential pitch
The Harington Hurdle
Despite HBO’s enthusiasm for a retooled show, the biggest obstacle is clear: Kit Harington has repeatedly ruled out any return. Asked by Variety last month about even a voice-over for future audiobooks, he replied, “No, god no. I don’t wanna go anywhere near it. I spent 10 years doing that. Thanks, I’m alright.”
Bringing the new version to screen would therefore require either:
- Convincing the actor to reverse a position he has stated forcefully in multiple outlets
- Recasting one of the franchise’s most recognizable faces
What Happens Next
Development remains at the exploratory stage. HBO has not commissioned a script, ordered a pilot, or entered formal negotiations with any actors. Insiders caution that many Thrones-related projects have reached similar early phases only to stall, including multiple animated concepts and the previously announced spin-offs The Sea Snake and Ten Thousand Ships.
For now, fans eager to return to Westeros-or Essos-will have to wait and see whether HBO can solve the Jon Snow problem without the man who brought him to life.
