The next "Game of Thrones" could be right around the corner, with author George R.R. Martin announcing that Cinemax has optioned the rights to another one of his works.

Martin, who penned the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series that inspired "Thrones," revealed the news on his blog, writing that Cinemax has already ordered a pilot script based on "The Skin Trade," a novella Martin released in the 1980s that he describes as "werewolf noir." The story was originally released as part of a horror anthology called "Night Vision 5," which also featured a tale from Stephen King; it's been reprinted as a standalone novella several times since then, and has also been adapted into a comic book series and graphic novel.

According to Martin, he originally tried to bring "The Skin Trade" to TV way back in 1991, writing, "I have always thought there was a TV series (or maybe a feature film) in Willie Flambeaux and Randi Wade." And while the author says a Cinemax series "would be very cool," he's remaining cautiously optimistic for now.

"This being Hollywood, of course, you never know where things will end," Martin wrote, " ... but if they like the script, we'll shoot a pilot, and if they like that, hey, who knows, maybe we'll get a series on the air."

Sadly, Martin won't be able to do any writing on the show himself, and the pilot script was penned by screenwriter Prison Break," "Once Upon a Time"). But that's okay, since, of course, Martin is a little bit tied up trying to prevent "Game of Thrones" from spoiling the end of "A Song of Ice and Fire" (too much, anyway).

" ... [W]hile I would have loved to write the script and run the show myself myself, that was never really in the cards," Martin wrote. "I have this book to finish. You know the one."

We do indeed. Here's hoping Martin stays on track with his writing, and everything pans out with "The Skin Trade." We could use a distraction during HBO's "Thrones" hiatuses.

[via: George R.R. Martin]

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