Report: HBO developing 'Game of Thrones' spinoffs with four writers

WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) — Let the games continue.

As the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones” prepares to launch its seventh season this July, the premium cable network is already looking ahead to what comes after the eighth and final season ends.

The upcoming season will only contain seven episodes, and the last season will be six to eight episodes long. HBO is apparently not yet prepared to lose one of its most popular and award-winning properties, though.

Variety reported Thursday that HBO has recruited four writers to work on potential spinoff projects: Max Borenstein (“Kong: Skull Island”), Jane Goldman (“Kingsman: The Golden Circle”), Brian Helgeland (“Legend”), and Carly Wray (“Mad Men,” “The Leftovers”).

Few other details about their plans were released. According to Variety, Goldman and Wray will work directly with creator George R.R. Martin.

Martin and “Game of Thrones” showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff will be involved with the projects, but they would not write them.

An HBO spokesperson told Variety there is no timeline set for developing or producing the spinoffs. Season seven premieres on July16.