May 5, 2017 – The world according to Dan.

Four ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoffs in the works

Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin has signed a new TV production deal to develop four offshoot series from the hit fantasy franchise.

Show creators and executive producers D. B. Weiss and David Benioff are currently preparing to premiere the seventh season of the show in June, and work on the final eighth season will begin later this year, ahead of a planned 2018 release.

However, fans have now been given more to look forward to as officials at U.S. network HBO have reached a deal with Martin to “explore different time periods” in the “vast and rich universe” created in his book series A Song of Ice and Fire in four related shows.

Specific details about the projects, as well as production timelines, have yet to be revealed, but Martin will pen the series with Godzilla’s Max Borenstein, Kick-Ass screenwriter Jane Goldman, Mystic River’s Brian Helgeland, and Carly Wray, who worked on Mad Men.

Weiss and Benioff will not be involved in the writing process, but will oversee the series as executive producers, alongside Martin, reports Deadline.com.

It’s good news for fans, who have been patiently waiting for Martin to finish writing the sixth instalment of his A Song of Ice and Fire saga, following the 2011 release of the last book in the franchise, A Dance with Dragons.

He had been hoping to have the sequel, The Winds of Winter, complete in time for 2016, to coincide with the broadcast of the sixth season of the Game of Thrones TV adaptation, but he failed to hit his deadline.

Instead, Weiss and Benioff had to base their plotlines for the TV series on the book ideas Martin outlined for them in order to move forward with the project.

Robert Plant hints at Led Zeppelin reunion

Robert Plant has spiked fans’ interest in a Led Zeppelin reunion with a cryptic note on his website.

Devotees have been crying out for a band get together ever since Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones regrouped in London for a tribute to music mogul Ahmet Ertegun in 2007, and, as the rock act’s 50th anniversary looms in 2018, the singer’s latest three-word post has got fans foaming at the mouth.

Plant’s message reads: “Any time now…”

Some experts are predicting the existing members of Led Zeppelin will reunite for this year’s Desert Trip festival in Indio, Calif. The inaugural event in 2016 was headlined by Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Roger Waters.

The bosses of last year’s festival confessed a Led Zeppelin reunion was high on their wish list for the 2017 event.

Page and Plant have been at odds for years over reunion rumours – Page would dearly like to tour with his old bandmates, while Plant has said on multiple occasions his Zeppelin days are behind him.

However, he recently impressed fans at a gig in London when he belted out the rock band’s classic Kashmir without Jimmy Page for the first time.

The singer made an appearance during violinist Nigel Kennedy’s Royal Albert Hall concert in March and hit all the right notes on the song, which was first released four decades ago and re-recorded for Plant & Page’s No Quarter album.

Plant’s 18-minute performance marked the first time he had attempted the song live since Led Zeppelin’s 2007 reunion at London’s O2 Arena.