Summary
Game of Thronesseason 8, based onGeorge R. R. Martin’s book seriesA Song of Ice and Fire,was criticized harshly over the series' end. Most of the criticism was over its handling of the White Walkers plot and Daenerys' sudden character change.Bloodmoon’s title was announced on August 13, 2025, anditcould have provided the depth and backstory that season 8 lacked.It could have given audiences the strong female hero promised throughout the original series. Sadly, theGame of Thronesprequel series was canceled in 2019after spending roughly $30 million on the pilot.
After running out of source material, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss developed the remaining story with only general guidelines and notes from Martin. This proved detrimental to the show, asthe writing fell to the wayside and was replaced bycheap action and a predictable plot.Bloodmooncould have given the brand a much-needed redemption with a fresh story without the baggage of being so connected to the original series, likeHouse of the Dragon.
8 House Of The Dragon Moments & Game Of Thrones Spinoffs Set Up By Season 2, Episode 5
House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5, may have been a step down in terms of action, but there’s plenty of necessary build-up to break down.
Game Of Thrones' Canceled Bloodmoon Spinoff Could Have Fixed Season 8’s White Walker Problem
The Canceled Spinoff Promised To Deep Dive Into The Origins Of The White Walkers
Set during the Age of Heroes, nearly 8,000 years before the War of the Five Kings and well before the establishment ofGame of Thrones'9 great houses,Bloodmoonwould have explored the origins of the White Walkers and the Night King. The Night King was introduced as a mysteriously ominous villain and a major plotline inGame of Thrones.Bloodmooncould have given the White Walkers more depth and enriched the show’s lore,making the Night King’s defeat more satisfying.
Bloodmoonalso could have addressed specific problems with the Night King. Audiences were given very little insight into theNight King’s originsas a character, and his only motivation seemed to be pure destruction. A strong story exploring the Night King’s psyche could have given audiencesinsight into his motivations and the threat he posed, making him a more complex and intriguing character.
Naomi Watts' Bloodmoon Character Could Have Given Fans What Daenerys Didn’t
House Of The Dragon’s Female Leads Won’t Be Any Better Off Than The Mother Of Dragons
Daenerys, the Mother of Dragons, was set up as an amazingly empathetic and robust female leader. She was able to lead her people and get everyone around her on board with her cause.Game of Thronesprovided nearly eight years of build-up for her to become ruler, but it all came crashing down when Daenerys took a wild turn to become a hateful tyrant. Under other circumstances, it might have been alright for her character to end up this way,but there was very little development as she turned so abruptly, and the change wasn’t well-earned.
Bloodmooncould have a character that finally doesn’t seem like a legacy character that we are expected to like just because of their last name.
Naomi Watt’s character inBloodmoonwould have given the writers and the show a fresh start to give a female hero a strong arc.House of the Dragonhas strong female leads, butthe show feels limited since audiences already know the end game. Rhanaera’s character is compelling, butRhanaera is too connected to Daenerysto be her own character.Bloodmooncould have a character that finally doesn’t seem like a legacy character that we are expected to like just because of their last name. This could have been a new hero with her own volition and goals.
HBO Canceling Game Of Thrones' First Spinoff Show Was A Huge Mistake
BloodmoonWas A Missed Opportunity To Expand The World Of Westeros
The ending ofGame of Throneswas met with harsh criticismand showed a massive drop in audience ratings.House of the Dragonhas shown real promise but doesn’t fix any ofGame ofThrones’issues. No matter how goodHouse of the Dragonis,a massive chunk of the story is still a mystery to the audience. There is this whole other side of this world that is unexplored.Bloodmoonwas promised to explore the untapped potential and possibly offer a fresh perspective to disillusioned fans.
Another working title for the prequel series wasThe Long Nightreferring to a winter that lasted a generation. This is the first time the White Walkers descended upon Westeros.
Bloodmooncould give viewers a whole different perspective on Westeros. HBO’s cancelation ofBloodmoonis a missed opportunity to expand theGame of Thronesuniverse anddeepen the lore while providing audiences with a richer and more engaging experience. HBO missed out on the chance to prove to audiences that they can create great content in theGoTworld.House of the Dragonis still primarily based on existing source material, and HBO doesn’t have a strong track record of telling this story without George R. R. Martin directly guiding them through it.
Bloodmoonheld so much potential for theGame of Thronesfranchise, and ratings show that audiences are still eager to delve into this world. WhileHouse of the Dragon’s successis promising, it’s still a constant reminder of whatBloodmooncould have been. Audiences can only hope the show’s success will reignite interest inBloodmoonand an earlier era of Westeros, which holds stories that deserve to be told.
