MOVIE NEWS – The upcoming HBO House of the Dragon spinoff just got a major update. This continues an increasingly popular trend among popular fantasy franchises…

House of the Dragon is only the second series set in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” universe. Several more series are planned – and an upcoming House of the Dragon spinoff follows the trend of an exciting fantasy franchise. This opens up all kinds of possibilities. Approaching the second season of House of the Dragon, it is somewhat surprising that HBO is already developing content based on supporting characters.

However, the history of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world is vast, and there is much more to explore on screen.

Nine Voyages will guide Game of Thrones fans to the seas. Following Lord Corlys Velaryon boarding a ship in Westeros. Set before the events of House of the Dragon, the prequel reveals how Corlys earned his title and reputation as a sea serpent. Although Nine Voyages is currently in development at HBO, many other details about the upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff have yet to be released. However, a recent update brings a significant change to the format of the series, which reinforces a growing trend in the fantasy genre.

The HBO House Of The Dragon spinoff show will be animated

Although Nine Voyages was originally set to be a live-action series like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, writer George R.R. Martin recently revealed on his website that the HBO spinoff is switching from a live-action format to an animated one. Martin cited “budgetary constraints” behind the decision.

It’s also true that HBO will have an easier time bringing the Sea Serpent’s adventures to life without having to worry about live-action sets, props, and special effects to do them justice.

The fact that the Game of Thrones franchise is expanding its range with an animated series is an exciting prospect. It’s a decision that follows the lead of several other growing fantasy franchises. While live-action fantasy series aren’t going away anytime soon, it seems like more and more are branching out into animation. Game of Thrones isn’t the first franchise to make the jump to this medium, and it probably won’t be the last.

The Lord of the Rings and The Witcher were also added with animation

Game of Thrones isn’t the first major fantasy franchise to dabble in animation in recent years. Nine Voyages continues the trend already seen in The Lord of the Rings and The Witcher. While Warner Bros. had success with the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit live-action films, its release in 2024 returns to Middle-earth in an animated setting. Like Nine Voyages, The War of the Rohirrim will expand the history of live-action projects using another medium.

Although The War of Rohirrim is not the first LOTR animated film – that would be 1978’s The Lord of the Rings – it does mark a possible departure from live-action films.

Netflix’s The Witcher franchise has also added an animation project. The Nightmare of the Wolf debuted on the streamer in 2021. The animated film follows Geralt of Rivia’s mentor, Vesemir, in his younger days. He tells how he became the battle-hardened witcher featured in the live-action series. The film also revealed what the continent was like almost a century before the events of The Witcher. Like the upcoming Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones spinoffs, this one took viewers deeper into a familiar fantasy world. Animation is not used for such purposes by chance.

Why is animation a great medium for fantasy storytelling?

While live-action fantasy series are fascinating in their own right, animation is an ideal medium for this type of storytelling. The fantasy genre is full of characters, abilities, and action scenes that are difficult to capture in live-action form. Although advancing technology makes things easier, animated films and series offer more flexibility than their live-action counterparts.

As Martin suggests, animating elements like magic, dragons, and fight scenes don’t require as much money or effort to bring to life.

For established franchises such as Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and The Witcher, animation also eliminates the need to recreate characters and sets to fit existing projects. Since Nine Voyages will follow a character that viewers are already familiar with, the House of the Dragon spinoff should ensure that the cast matches Steve Toussaint’s version of Corlys Velaryon. Its sets should also match the locations previously visited by Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. An animated series, on the other hand, can get away with making changes – and it’s easier to recreate parts of a live-action series.

Source: George R. R. Martin