Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin confirms that he plays a bigger role in the production of HBO's spinoff shows than many fans realize.

Martin revealed that working on the upcoming series had "taken a ton of [his] time and attention this year," in a recent Not a Blog post. "I have seen some comments out there questioning how much I am involved in these new series," wrote the author. "The answer is: a lot. Deeply, heavily involved in every one of the new shows."

Related: Game of Thrones Author Praises House of the Dragon After Seeing Early Pilot Cut

"It's my world, and while I have been working closely with some fantastic writers and showrunners, ultimately it is up to me to try to keep the canon… well, canonical… and to do all I can to help make the new shows great. (And I love these stories too)," added Martin.

Martin wrote the A Song of Ice and Fire novels that later inspired the popular HBO series, publishing the first book, A Game of Thrones, in 1991. To date, the scribe has penned five main entries in the series plus a prequel novel, a companion book, and several novellas. Despite the avid fanbase, the A Song of Ice and Fire story remains infamously unfinished. Two more novels -- The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring -- are planned but have yet to be completed at the time of writing.

Related: Elden Ring Includes a Sharp Game of Thrones Easter Egg

Because of this, Game of Thrones pushed ahead without Martin's words, something the author has openly admitted he regrets. Martin wasn't the only one to take issue with the direction of the HBO series' later seasons. A fan petition to remake the show's controversial final season continues to amass new interest three years after it was created. To date, the petition has racked up over 1.85 million signatures.

Undeterred by the fan backlash to the Game of Thrones finale, HBO is moving forward with several spinoffs set in the same fictional universe as the original series. Of these, only House of the Dragon is in active development, with Martin recently confirming that the series' first season has now wrapped filming. A prequel set 200 years before the events of Game of ThronesHouse of the Dragon charts the decline of House Targaryen, culminating in "The Dance of the Dragons" -- a legendary civil war only hinted at in the original show.

All eight seasons of Game of Thrones are currently available on HBO Max. House of the Dragon is expected to premiere on HBO sometime in 2022.

Keep Reading: House Of The Dragon Actor Teases The Game Of Thrones Spinoff's Massive Scale

Source: Not a Blog