Summary
- Colossal Biosciences revives extinct dire wolves using a de-extinction program, sparking conservation support.
- Fans are frustrated by George R.R. Martin’s involvement with dire wolves instead of finishing Winds of Winter.
- Martin hints at progress in Winds of Winter, but fans remain disappointed by the lack of a clear timeline.
Game of Thrones‘ world is filled with magical and mythical creatures that roam the lands of Westeros but, other than fire-breathing dragons, the species of large wolf known as dire wolves have proved popular among the show’s fanbase. Now, with the news that Colossal Biosciences has revived the extinct dire wolves that famously appeared in the HBO series and that George R.R. Martin is involved in the company as an advisor and investor, Game of Thrones fans aren’t too happy that the author is, yet again, side-tracked from finishing his sixth novel in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, The Winds of Winter.
The dire wolf, which disappeared around 12,000 years ago from the planet and was made famous by the beloved HBO fantasy show, is making a return, all thanks to the first-ever “de-extinction” program by bioscience startup Colossal Biosciences in an attempt to support conservation and combat the growing biodiversity crisis. The company introduced the world to two new dire wolf pups, named Romulus and Remus, who were born on October 1, 2024, with a third dire wolf puppy, appropriately named Khaleesi, born on January 30, 2025. Colossal Biosciences used gene editing to modify the traits of existing animals, such as wolves, jackals, and foxes, so that their DNA then became that of extinct animals, hence the end result of the stunning white dire wolf canines.
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Game of Thrones Fans Confused Why George R.R. Martin Can Help Create Dire Wolves but Not Finish Winds of Winter
After learning the news that legendary Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin had collaborated with Colossal Biosciences on the reveal of its first-ever de-extinction of an animal, the dire wolf, fans of the writer were baffled at his involvement in such a massive project while they are still waiting on him to finish off the highly requested, Winds of Winter. One disgruntled fan on Reddit, in a post discussing the news about dire wolves coming back, stated, “Anything but writing a new damn chapter,” while another angry commenter, who has seemingly given up completely on a sixth novel, replied, “He can’t focus long enough to pay them any mind! I am so over him!.”
“He is dedicated to various activities, except for writing his book,” said another user. “At this point, George will achieve world peace before he finishes Winds lol”, echoed yet another confused fan. Recently, on his NotaBlog website, Martin revealed that he would have some good news on April 8, exciting fans that there might be an announcement regarding the Winds of Winter. Sadly, Martin stated that this wouldn’t be the case and that the reveal would be about something else – seemingly the Dire Wolf news release – and that he was “So tired of having to issue denials every time some offhand comment of mine, most having nothing to do with WINDS, somehow convinces half the internet that the book is imminent. It’s not. No. (Maybe I need to stop making offhand comments).”
Last month, Martin gave fans an update on Winds of Winter, revealing that he hopes to finish the next book, but that there’s no clear timeline as of now, which is certain to disappoint many fans who have been waiting patiently for 14 years to get their eyes on it. “The books are what I’m going to make them. And, I think the one I’m writing is coming pretty well, but I wish it would come faster,” said Martin. For those still excited to jump into the Game of Thrones’ universe, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres sometime this year on HBO and Max, followed by House of the Dragon Season 3 sometime in 2026.
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- Release Date
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2011 – 2019-00-00
- Showrunner
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David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
- Directors
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David Nutter, Alan Taylor, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff
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Isaac Hempstead Wright
Brandon Bran Stark
Source: Reddit/The Hollywood Reporter