Everybody freak out: We’ve finally got details on HBO’s first “Game of Thrones” prequel — including the new showrunner, Jane Goldman, a veteran of the “Kingsman” and “X-Men” franchises.
Current “Game of Thrones” showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will not lead the prequel. Goldman created the new show with “A Song of Ice & Fire” author George R.R. Martin, with whom she wrote the story. She wrote the script.
The addition of a female showrunner is notable for a franchise that has been both criticized for its depictions of sexual violence and celebrated for portraying women in positions of power.
Goldman will executive produce the untitled prequel alongside Martin, Vince Gerardis, and Daniel Zelman.
The British screenwriter and producer debuted in 2007 when she wrote the screenplay for “Stardust.” Since then, she has collaborated with director Matthew Vaughn on “Kick Ass,” “X-Men: First Class,” and the “Kingsman” franchise.
Goldman has also penned horror movie “The Woman in Black” and the screenplay for Tim Burton’s “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” Perhaps most notably (with a tip of the cap to “GoT,” of course), Goldman’s live-action “The Little Mermaid” is currently in development at Disney.
Finally, Goldman is also the author of several best-selling non-fiction books, and the co-creator of an annual comedy special for the U.K.’s Channel 4. So yeah, she’s pretty prolific.