George R.R. Martin has announced a brand new project: a Game of Thrones prequel play subtitled The Mad King. While the news has sparked plenty of speculation, it’s also left A Song of Ice and Fire fans feeling frustrated.
Now is a great time to be a fan of the fantasy franchise’s world. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been a resounding success, Season 2 is on the way, and House of the Dragon Season 3 is making its debut on HBO in June 2026.
Now, there is also a stage play in the works titled Game of Thrones: The Mad King. As a prequel to the flagship story, the production will center on the fateful tourney at Harrenhal that led to Robert’s Rebellion.
Unfortunately, there are no showings in the US just yet, with the play set to make its world premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. But that’s not the reason the news has left a bad taste in the mouths of fans.
George R.R. Martin fans divided over Game of Thrones play
Why are some fans angry? It’s an issue that’s been raised time and again: George R.R. Martin is yet to finish The Winds of Winter, the penultimate book in his Ice and Fire series.
After 15 years in development and previous promises that it’s nearly finished, the author has faced repeated calls to complete the novel. It’s been such a long-running albatross that he previously described it as “the curse of my life.”
One of the reasons it’s been such a struggle is the fact that Martin is so busy with other projects, including the ever-expanding GoT cinematic universe. Now, he’s added a new post to his Not A Blog site, where he announced the Mad King play.
“Having the RSC bring Westeros to the stage is so incredible that sometimes I fear I am dreaming the whole thing,” he wrote.
“(Yes, it goes without saying that I am a huge Shakespeare fan, and it will likely surprise no one to learn that the history plays are my favorites, and none more so than those set during the Wars of the Roses).
“Our creative team is incredible as well. The play will be adapted by award-winner Duncan Macmillan (People, Places and Things), and directed by new Almeida Theatre artistic director Dominic Cooke (Good, Follies, The Hollow Crown).
“Working with them has been as much a thrill as it is an honor… Priority tickets will go on sale April 14, and fans wishing to attend are encouraged to sign up to become a Royal Shakespeare Company member for updates.”
The news was shared on the A Song of Ice and Fire subreddit, where one fan wrote, “ASOIAF is the only franchise I can think of that has three TV adaptations but none of the source material is finished or will ever be finished, that’s hilarious.”
Another quipped, “We are genuinely gonna get ASOIAF: The Flamethrower before we get Winds,” and a third added, “I’d take a Winds play at this point George.”
A fourth chimed in, “The kind of thing that would be really cool to read about had the books been finished. As it stands, it’s just kind of annoying. That being said, if this does well, then I see it being the thing that finally gets George to agree on a Robert’s Rebellion show.”
The Mad King play could reveal Ice and Fire mysteries
Others are upset over the fact that many of the mysteries speculated to be resolved in the remaining Ice and Fire novels will instead make their debut in the play.
For context, here’s the synopsis for Game of Thrones: The Mad King: “Enter the world before. A long winter thaws in Harrenhal, and spring is promised. At a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revelers speculate about who will contend.
“But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the blood-thirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot. Far away, the drums of battle sound.
“Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and the sacred line of succession will be tested in a dangerous campaign for power. Who will survive? Who will rise? Wars aren’t won by those with most cause, but whose story’s best told.”
Since the play is set at the tourney at Harrenhal – the same event that introduced the mysterious Knight of the Laughing Tree – it could finally dramatize that encounter while shedding new light on the political tensions that sparked Robert’s Rebellion.
One Redditor wrote, “There’s something very sad that this very possibly means that we’ll get the Knight of the Laughing Tree story and its secrets told in a spin-off play, detached from the characters who introduced us to it and who are so essential to its meaning.
“I do feel for Martin, but his choice to expand the story out after Storm honestly just looks increasingly foolish as time marches on.” Another agreed, “I’m with you. This is very disheartening. He doesn’t care anymore.”
Another said, “Chalk up knight of the laughing tree identity as another reveal that’s happening outside of the books. Also we’ll probably get confirmation that Jenny of Oldstones is the song Rhaegar played that made Lyanna cry.”
“So…. we will have canon 100% confirmation that Lyanna was the knight of the laughing tree and probably whether he went with Rhaegar willingly (she probably did),” added a third.
Not everyone is annoyed by the news, however, with many excited to see what the play delivers. “It will be interesting to see how the story unfolds as a stage play,” said one.
Another wrote, “All the BS aside, knowing what a huge Shakespeare guy George is; this is beautiful for him.”
“Will be interesting to see some real Rhaegar and Lyanna characterisation given how much mystique they still have in the incomplete main series,” added a third.
One person also commented, “You all need to understand that Winds will not be published while this man is alive. This is objectively a good thing for fans he’s adding to his story and mythos.”
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