In a disappointing development for Game of Thrones fans, actor Kit Harington has officially confirmed that HBO has put a Jon Snow spinoff series on hold indefinitely.
Harington, who starred as the beloved character throughout the original eight seasons of the hit fantasy drama, had been spearheading the potential sequel project. However, in a recent interview with ScreenRant, the actor revealed that the series is no longer in active development.
“Currently, it’s off the table, because we all couldn’t find the right story to tell that we were all excited about enough,” Harington said bluntly. “So, we decided to lay down tools with it for the time being. There may be a time in the future where we return to it, but at the moment, no. It’s firmly on the shelf.”
News of the Jon Snow spinoff first emerged in June 2022, with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin confirming the working title was “Snow” and that the series already had writers and showrunners attached, all brought on board by Harington himself.
The actor had been hesitant to discuss the project while it was still in development, wary of generating excitement or criticism before they had solidified the right creative direction. Ultimately, Harington and the HBO team were unable to land on a story that excited them enough to move forward.
“I hadn’t really ever spoken about it, because it was in development,” Harington explained. “I didn’t want it leaked out that it was being developed, and I didn’t want the thing to happen where people kind of start theorizing, getting either excited about it or hating the idea of it, when it may never happen.”
This announcement comes as a significant shift from Harington’s comments just a few months ago, when he speculated about the potential fate of his character in the aftermath of Game of Thrones’ divisive series finale. At a December 2022 convention, the actor suggested Jon Snow may have felt he “got off lightly” by being exiled to the Night’s Watch rather than executed.
While the Jon Snow spinoff is no longer in active development, HBO is still moving forward with expanding the Game of Thrones universe. The network’s prequel series House of the Dragon is headed into its second season, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently casting new lead actors.
For now, it seems the journey of Jon Snow has reached its conclusion, at least on the small screen. Harington’s comments indicate the character’s story may remain closed, unless the creative team is able to uncover a truly compelling narrative worth revisiting in the future.
