Game of Thrones has already expanded with one spin-off, House of the Dragon, now in its second season this year. Additional TV series set in George R.R. Martin's fantasy world are in development. The author had also hoped to bring a story set in Braavos to the screen, though HBO wasn’t interested. However, Martin has hinted that he still wants to write it as a book—but don’t worry, only after he finishes the long-awaited next installment of A Song of Ice and Fire, which fans have been waiting over a decade for.
“One day I need to write the Braavos story we developed at HBO. They shelved it a few years ago, unfortunately, but that doesn’t mean I won’t go back to it… after I finish The Winds of Winter, of course. Maybe then I’ll have enough free time to revisit Amsterdam,” Martin wrote in a blog post, where he mentioned for the first time that he had planned a Braavos-centered series.
Fantasy fans will recognize the Free City of Braavos as the home of the Iron Bank and the Faceless Men. In his post, Martin revealed that, contrary to popular belief, Braavos wasn’t inspired by Venice but primarily by Amsterdam, with a touch of Prague. “Though I’ve read a lot about Venice, historical writings, travel guides, and so on, I’ve actually never been there. I’ve always wanted to go—Venice is obviously a magical place, and if I had a bucket list, it would be right at the top… but I just haven’t had the time yet. Maybe one day, perhaps after the book is done.”
Martin’s recent trip to Amsterdam inspired this post, where he noted his fascination with the canal system and recalled his surprise at learning that Amsterdam actually has more canals than Venice. “The canals are the jewels of Braavos, and the same is true for Amsterdam,” said George R.R. Martin.
