Genndy Tartakovsky Attached To Game Of Thrones Animated Series

The world of Westeros is expanding into the realm of prestige animation, and it’s doing so with a legendary creative at the helm. Animation icon Genndy Tartakovsky—the visionary behind Primal and Samurai Jack—is reportedly attached to lead “Nine Voyages,” the highly anticipated Game of Thrones spin-off.

The project, which centers on the legendary early adventures of Lord Corlys Velaryon (the “Sea Snake”), represents a major stylistic shift for the franchise as it pivots from live-action to a high-concept animated series.

From Live-Action to Animation

Originally conceived as a live-action prequel to House of the Dragon, Nine Voyages was moved into the animation pipeline in late 2023. George R.R. Martin famously supported the shift, noting that the sheer scale of Corlys’ nautical history—which involves visiting new, exotic ports like Asshai, Yi Ti, and the Basilisk Isles every episode—would have made a live-action budget “prohibitively expensive.”

By utilizing animation, the production team can fully realize the vibrant, diverse locales of the known world that have previously only existed in the margins of the maps and lore books.

The Tartakovsky Touch

The attachment of Genndy Tartakovsky has sent shockwaves through both the animation and Thrones fanbases. Known for his ability to tell mythic, epic stories with minimal dialogue and high-impact visual choreography, Tartakovsky is seen as the perfect fit for a maritime odyssey.

Nine Voyages is expected to adopt a more mature, adult-oriented tone, following in the footsteps of Tartakovsky’s recent Emmy-winning work on Primal. The series will follow a young Corlys Velaryon long before he became the veteran Hand of the Queen seen in House of the Dragon, chronicling the nine daring journeys that established House Velaryon as the wealthiest and most powerful seafaring family in the Seven Kingdoms.

Expanding the “Westeros Universe”

HBO Chief Casey Bloys recently indicated that the success of smaller-scale, character-driven projects (like the newly premiered A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) has emboldened the network to experiment with different formats.

While a release date for Nine Voyages has not yet been confirmed, the project is in active development at HBO. It is one of three animated Game of Thrones projects currently being explored, alongside The Golden Empire (set in Yi Ti).

For fans who have long wanted to see the “hidden” corners of George R.R. Martin’s world, the combination of the Sea Snake’s legend and Tartakovsky’s artistry promises to be the most ambitious expansion of the franchise since the original series premiered over fifteen years ago.