HBO revealed the first details of a 'Game of Thrones' prequel set 'thousands of years' in the past

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HBO has officially greenlit a pilot for a prequel to its hit show "Game of Thrones."
The network's official description says the prequel will be set "thousands of years" before the events of "Game of Thrones."
If it becomes a series, the prequel wouldn't air until at least 2020, since "Game of Thrones" is set to end next year.

"Game of Thrones" may be ending next year, but audiences can expect plenty more from that universe soon.

HBO has officially ordered a pilot for its "Game of Thrones" prequel series from the writer Jane Goldman — a frequent collaborator with the director Matthew Vaughn on movies like "Kick-Ass," "Kingsman: The Secret Service," and "X-Men: First Class" — and George R.R. Martin, who wrote the "Song of Ice and Fire" books the series is based on.

Here's the network's official description:

"Taking place thousands of years before the events of 'Game of Thrones,' the series chronicles the world's descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. And only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeros's history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East, to the Starks of legend … it's not the story we think we know."

According to Entertainment Weekly, the Age of Heroes began 10,000 years before the events of "Game of Thrones," and storylines could include the construction of the Wall and Winterfell, the generation-long winter known as the Long Night, and the events that led to a war against the white walkers.

Since "Game of Thrones" is set to end with its eighth season next year, we wouldn't see the prequel, if it's ordered to series, until at least 2020.

This isn't the only "Game of Thrones" spinoff HBO has planned — the network has five in the works.

Most recently, Entertainment Weekly reported that a spinoff from the "Game of Thrones" executive producer Bryan Cogman was underway. Details of the others are under wraps, but they are unlikely to include any characters from the current series.

The "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, meanwhile, will move on to write and produce a new series of "Star Wars" films.

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