Westeros

Deadline reports that Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest is scheduled to reach theaters on June 1, 2029. Owen Harris is attached to direct, with Beau Willimon writing the screenplay.

We reported on Willimon’s involvement in March, when the subject of the film was still speculation. Warner Bros. revealed its working title in April. Now the project has both a date and a director, which means it’s rolling along.

We’ve just published an exclusive interview with Michael Shaeffer, who plays Aerys II Targaryen in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Game of Thrones: The Mad King.

Shaeffer discusses how he unexpectedly came to the role, why he approached Aerys through the traumas of Summerhall, Duskendale and his troubled family history rather than simply playing him as “mad,” and how The World of Ice & Fire and Westeros.org helped inform his research.

First, a disclosure: it has been a very long time since I seriously played this particular kind of real-time strategy game. The last one I spent much time with was Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, back in 1995. I never moved on to StarCraft, Total Annihilation, Command & Conquer and the rest. Some Total War, yes, but that’s a different beast in a lot of ways. So, with that out of the way, and the recognition that it means I’m not really in a position to tell experienced RTS players whether Game of Thrones: War for Westeros is doing something revolutionary or even exceptional for the genre. But I can give my near-neophyte impressions, and also share how well the game captures the feel of Game of Thrones (and ASoIaF) in its tactical gameplay.

The verdict? Quite impressed! I’ve posted my thoughts over at the Features section of the site, here. But one thing I shared there, I’ll highlight here as well: PlaySide has now revealed two additional heroes that will be part of the game, heroes that were not included in the demo build that we and other press had access to. Here’s the reveal of the Mountain that Rides and Arya Stark:

As teased two weeks ago, PlaySide has premiered its full gameplay trailer at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, giving a richer look at the real time strategy game’s factions and units, combat, and more. You can see the trailer for yourself below!

We’ve had the opportunity to play an early demo build of the game, and hope to share some of our impressions soon!

For more, including the announcement of a beta test, read the press release below:

Due to a combination of oversight on my part and just being rather busy, I have realized that we’ve not posted about the fact that we’ve actually put up our review of the finale of House of the Dragon a few days ago…

... and for that matter, that we’ve posted our review of Game of Thrones: The Mad King as well, rather belatedly. There may be a future video about it as well, if there’s interest, to discuss in more detail but presently we’re adhering to the RSC’s request that we don’t say too many specific things about the plot points. Suffice it to say, it’s an incredible experience, and we hope there’ll soon be news about additional performances.

Back when PlaySide Studios and Warner Bros. Games announced Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, the real-time strategy game was expected to arrive on PC in 2026. The wait will now be a little longer.

In a substantial development update, PlaySide discussed the game’s factions, heroes, combat mechanics, unit behavior, and the importance of controlling terrain. The update closed with the announcement that War for Westeros will now launch in early 2027, giving the developers additional time to reach the level of quality they are aiming for.

Today brings something rather more immediate: PlaySide has released a brief official gameplay reveal teaser. It is very brief indeed, but offers our first small taste of the game in action.

With Game of Thrones: The Mad Kingwell on its way after a somewhat delayed first performance, the Royal Shakespeare Company has sent out word that they have shared their first image of the primary cast in full costume. Featuring characters from the eponymous Mad King, Aerys I, to Eddard Stark, it gives us our best look yet at the costuming and the approach the show has taken to bring them to life. Absolutely love the lilac hue of Ashara’s gown, for example, and the elaborate styling of Queen Rhaella’s hair is incredible.

See the full press release that came with the image below!

Left to right, the portrait includes Tanisha Spring as Ashara Dayne, Elizabeth Ayodele as Princess Elia Martell, Mariah Gale as Queen Rhaella Targaryen, Callum Woodhouse as Lord Robert Baratheon, Michael Shaeffer as King Aerys II Targaryen, Harmony Rose-Bremner as Lyanna Stark, Luke Brady as Brandon Stark, Noah Ritter as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Michael Abubakar as Eddard Stark.

An exclusive report from Whats on Stage features images released by the Royal Shakespeare Company during rehearsals for Game of Thrones: The Mad King, showing many of the cast… and showing, intriguingly, a sign directing “Horses” one way and “People” another (one of the images appears to explain why!) We’ve embedded the RSC’s post with images below.

What’s on Stage confirms remarks from the writer and director that while the play does center on the tourney at Harrenhal, it covers more ground than that, extending into the rebellion-proper (we’d guess as a final act or epilogue, perhaps?)

Actors Huw Parmenter and Kel Matsena as Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard. Photo by Johan Persson.

Last month, news broke that Beau Willamon (House of Cards, Andor) was working on a Game of Thrones-related project, with speculation that it was related to Aegon the Conqueror and his conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. At CinemaCon 2026, where the studios present their upcoming films and slates to the press and exhibitors, Warner Brothers confirmed the news when it made a presentation related to its plans for “2027 and beyond”, where Variety reports that the working title Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest was revealed.

Aegon on Balerion the Black Dread, burning Harrenhal. Art by Marc Simonetti.

Following February’s reveal that the renowned Royal Shakespeare Company would be putting on the world premiere of Game of Thrones: The Mad King at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, the RSC has now followed up with details including the names of additional creative team members, as well as ticket sale details and, most importantly, actual performance dates starting on July 20th with the official opening night being on August 8th.

Among the announcements in the press release are that a new seating configuration will be used to place the audience “at the very heart of the action — immersed in the intrigue and theatrical spectacle that promises to make this production truly epic,” as well as the fact that among the creatives are Puppetry and Movement heads Nick Barnes and Finn Cadwell (winners of the 2022 Olivier Award for their work on the theatrical Life of Pi).

Full details below!

Key art for Game of Thrones: The Mad King

Via Page Six Hollywood, an interesting bit of news has come out that screenwriter Beau Willimon (House of Cards, Andor) is working on writing a script for a Game of Thrones-related film. Page Six Hollywood speculates that it’s an Aegon the Conqueror film, which is interesting given recent news that the Conquest was being developed for both film and television. We initially thought all of this was tied to HBO keeping room open to see what fit the material best, but that was with the belief that Mattson Tomlin was the writer developing it.

Aegon the Conqueror, by Amok (Roman Papusev)

After five years of gestation, the long-in-the-works theatrical production based on the events of the tourney at Harrenhal has come to fruition. Per the press release we just received:

See the rest of the press release below, but all we can say is wow. Incredibly exciting to finally see things come to fruition… and it explains, I think, why George spent a deal a time in the UK recently (well, that, and season 2 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms being under way).

Deadline has a good their interview with Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer of HBO, touching on a number of their shows, such as The Pitt and Heated Rivalry (which they have licensed in the US and other territories, and whose performance they are very pleased by). But of particular interest to our fellow fans would be the extended discussion of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and other projects in development… and some remarks on George R.R. Martin’s involvement.

Biggest news for us? Deadline indicates, before diving into the interview, that it’s said that the legendary animator Genndy Tartakovsky—creator of the original Star Wars: Clone Wars, Samurai Jack, and Primal—is attached to the Nine Voyages of the Sea Snake animated series about Corlys Velaryon. Interestingly, we know Ryan Condal is a big fan of Tartakovsky, and one wonders if he had any involvement in getting Tartakovsky on board.

Some choice pieces from the interview below.

A still from the Black Knight test Tartakovsky released on Instagram, a stalled Sony Pictures project.

At Summer Game Fest, PlaySide Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have officially announced a new real-time strategy game set in the world of Westeros: Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, launching globally on PC in 2026.

Set in HBO’s Game of Thrones universe, War for Westeros is a premium real-time strategy game (by which I believe they mean it is not a free to play game, as some past licensed strategy games have been). Players will take command of one of several Great Houses—or even the White Walkers— in a bid to claim the Iron Throne.

A cinematic trailer is below, and we have more information and images following:

A big splashy announcement of a recent advance by Colossal Biosciences, creators of the “wooly mouse”, with the revelation that they have essentially recreated the 10,000-years extinct dire wolf which once roamed North America. The first two are named Romulus and Remus, after the legendary founders of Rome who were nursed by a she-wolf, while their younger “sister” is named… Khaleesi.

But what really got our attention was the concurrent reporting from The Hollywood Reporter that not only explicitly links the wolves with the direwolves of Game of Thrones, but also reveals that none other than George R.R. Martin is an investor and adviser… and so, too, is Peter Jackson, who provided a certain prop for a photoshoot with Romulus and Remus that Game of Thrones fans may recognize…