Hey GoT Fans, George R. R. Martin’s *Other* A+ Series Might Soon Hit TV

Casual George R.R. Martin fans might know him only for Game of Thrones, but his wider fanbase know he’s got a bunch of other content just ripe for the adaptation – and Universal Cable Productions has just acquired the rights to adapt one of them for TV.

Wild Cards, a series of science fiction / superhero stories edited by Martin and Melinda M Snodgrass, that’s been in print since 1986, is actually a shared universe written by a collection of vetted authors known as the Wild Cards Trust.

It’s set in an alternative history of the United States, where an alien airborne virus that literally rewrites DNA hit New York City after WWII and spread like wildfire (lel). Most people who contracted the virus (90%) died painful deaths, but a small number (9%) experienced minor to crippling physical conditions, and an even smaller number (1%) retained their human appearance but developed superhuman abilities. It became known as the Wild Card virus, with the deformed people becoming known as Jokers, and the one-percenters as Aces.

All up, it sounds like a goddamn wild ride.

Martin announced the news on his blog this morning, saying that “development will begin immediately on what we hope will be the first of several interlocking series.”

But Game of Thrones fans need not worry: Martin won’t actually be working on the series, as he’ll still got a lil’ book known as The Winds of Winter that needs some bloody finishing. Executive producing falls to Snodgrass and Gregory Noveck.


“I hope you’re as excited as I am,” Martin said. “Of course, Hollywood is Hollywood, and nothing is ever certain in development… but I think I hope I cross my fingers that the Wild Cards will be coming to your home screens in the next year or two.”

He says it’s too early to tell which of the thousands of stories available to be told WILL be told, but encouraged fans to get vocal about which ones they want features. “I am sure that Melinda and Gregory will be listening.”

Source: GRRM.

Photo: Getty / Steve Jennings.