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

HBO

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

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

HBO has officially ordered a pilot for its "Game of Thrones" prequel series from writer Jane Goldman - a frequent collaborator with 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 "A Song of Ice and Fire" books the series is based on.

The network's official description is below:

"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" ends with its eighth season next year, we wouldn't see the prequel, if ordered to series, until at least 2020.

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