Before House of the Dragon, there was another Game of Thrones spin-off prequel fantasy series. A pilot episode was made for the TV series (reportedly costing up to $30 million) however it was cancelled before it was ever released, and even George R. R. Martin was never allowed to see it. Now, one of the stars of the new Star Wars series Andor has opened up about the project.
Denise Gough, who plays the Star Wars villain and ISB officer Dedra Meero has opened up about the secret Game of Thrones spin-off series, which was titled Bloodmoon. Gough had been cast in the series in an unknown role, however she lost her chance to appear in Westeros when the series was cancelled.
Now, in a conversation with THR, Gough has reflected on what it was like when the prequel series was cancelled. She said “”For me, everything happens for a reason and everything happens the way it’s supposed to. When our pilot episode wasn’t chosen, when the production didn’t go forward, I didn’t feel devastated. Because, obviously, it wasn’t destined to happen. So, I went back home, to the theatre, and then I was contacted by, if possible, an even bigger franchise. I found a role that is closer to those I usually play.”
That’s a very well-adjusted, sanguine response from Gough about losing out on what had the potential to be a huge series. And, thankfully, as she says her luck turned out because she was soon after offered the role as the Galactic Empire stooge in the new sci-fi series, which is a franchise with a much longer history.
Bloodmoon itself, before its cancellation, was set to explore the land of Westeros far before the events of Game of Thrones. Unlike House of the Dragon, which is going into the rise and fall of the Targaryen family only a few generations before the main series, Bloodmoon was to be set 8000 years before Game of Thrones. It would have touched on legendary characters like Bran the Builder, Lann the Clever, and the Grey King.
Fans will likely never get to see that now, after the failure of Bloodmoon. Exactly why it was cancelled, or what is was set to focus on is still being kept under lock and key. Maybe in the future fans will be able to learn more about the series, but for now, Gough’s comments are all we have.
For more on House of the Dragon, check out our guide to the best House of the Dragon characters, as well as our explainers on Alicent and Ser Criston Cole. Or, to stick with Star Wars, check out our guide to the Andor season 2 release date.