The author threw us a a few tidbits, including the fact that Starks and direwolves will play a part
While news on the progress of the forthcoming 'Game of Thrones' prequel has been fairly thin on the ground, author George R.R. Martin has shared some tidbits of what fans might expect.
Speaking to EW, Martin set the scene for the show which began shooting in Northern Ireland last month.
Although he had previously referred to it as 'The Long Night', other sources suggested that its working title was 'Bloodmoon'. However, Martin said that he was open to other titles: "I heard a suggestion that it could be called The Longest Night, which is a variant I wouldn’t mind,” he said. “That would be pretty good.”
He also said that the setting for the pilot - which is set 5000 years before the events in 'Game of Thrones' - would see Westeros divided into 100 kingdoms, not the seven that they were later consolidated into.
Stark fans will be happy to know that there will be Starks in the pilot, too, as Ned and co. were descended from the First Men. There will also be White Walkers and "things like direwolves and mammoths."
Martin added: "The Lannisters aren’t there yet, but Casterly Rock is certainly there; it’s like the Rock of Gibraltar. It’s actually occupied by the Casterlys — for whom it’s still named after in the time of Game of Thrones.”
The ensemble cast - and it is very much an ensemble cast, Martin stressed - features Naomi Watts and Miranda Richardson.
As for when we might expect to see it? Martin kept us in the dark on that one, but stay tuned for updates as we have them.