Naomi Watts confirmed for 'Game of Thrones' prequel, as George R.R. Martin reveals series name

Naomi Watts is confirmed for a lead role in the forthcoming Game of Thrones prequel series, according to reports.

The British actress will play a character tantalisingly described as ‘a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret’.

Watts is the first major star to be attached to the HBO show, which is thought to kick off filming in February next year.

It comes after Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin appeared to have let the cat out of the bag in terms of what the show is going to be called.

Perhaps not realising that there’s been no official announcement yet, and in proclaiming his approval for Watts’ casting, he wrote in a blog post: “Casting is now underway for The Long Night, the first of the Game of Thrones successor series to ordered to film.

“HBO has just announced the first cast member: Naomi Watts is coming on board as one of our stars… I could not be more excited. Welcome to Westeros, Naomi.

“Jane Goldman scripted the Long Night pilot and will be running the show. She and her team are busy in London right now, neck deep in casting, and I expect some more names will be announced soon.

“Meanwhile, there are still a couple of other possible prequels in active development. I can’t tell you the subject matter of those projects, no, sorry, wish I could.”

Indeed, Kick-Ass and Kingsman scribe Jane Goldman is penning the pilot show – which is surely a shoo-in to be confirmed for a full series – which sets the action ‘thousands of years’ prior to the events in Game of Thrones.

According to the official synopsis: “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’ 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.”

In Martin’s books, the ‘Age of Heroes’ was the era 10,000 years before the current HBO series, that led into ‘the long night’, a generation-long winter.

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