Sophie Turner has commented on a return for what would effectively be Game of Thrones season 9, and it shows why the series shouldn’t – or at least, almost certainly couldn’t – come back. Five years on from Game of Thrones’ ending, the way the HBO hit went out remains extremely contentious, but the show as a whole is beloved. Those two elements combine to make the idea of a ninth season an interesting one.

So far, the closest we’ve come to a direct continuation of Game of Thrones was the Jon Snow spinoff show, which would’ve seen Kit Harington return. That, however, was scrapped when they couldn’t find an idea to take it forward. Meanwhile, Turner expressed some interest in a Game of Thrones return, but her comments (below) highlight not only the problem, but the best way forward:

I mean, it would have to be the exact same cast and the exact same crew, otherwise I wouldn’t go back and that would just be season 9 , and I don’t think we’re going to do a season 9, but, I mean, I loved playing Sansa, and I do wonder often what would she be doing now. Where would she be five years later, what would she be doing? Would she still be queen in the North? Would she be a good ruler? Would there be some other kind of terrible war that’s happened? I’d love to see it.

Sophie Turner’s Game Of Thrones Season 9 Comments Show It’s Almost Impossible To Make

It Would Be Very Difficult To Reunite Game Of Thrones’ Cast & Crew

Turner is right in that almost any continuation of Game of Thrones would effectively just be season 9, and that shows the major hurdle to it happening. Although Game of Thrones season 8 prompted a backlash, the sheer scale of production was one unmatched on TV, and that would be very difficult to bring back. It would require a lot of moving parts coming together, given the size of the show’s cast and crew, and lining up all of those schedules – even if they all did want to return – would be near impossible.

There’s also no guarantee Game of Thrones’ cast and crew would want to return. It was pretty clear by the end that it had taken a toll, because it’s such an intense production for all involved. Harington commented on the backlash to Game of Thrones’ ending and said as much himself:

“I think if there was any fault with the end of Thrones, it’s that we were all so f**king tired, we couldn’t have gone on longer.”

There’s also a big question about whether Game of Thrones season 9 would be a good idea. Although it’s tempting to think it could be used to fix the problems of the ending, the risk is that it would inevitably just double down on them, such as Bran Stark being king. Others – like Daenerys Targaryen’s death – aren’t really fixable at all for those who it didn’t work for, barring another resurrection (and it’s very difficult to find an argument for that being a good idea).

An Arya Sequel Is The Only Spinoff That Avoids Being Game Of Thrones Season 9

Arya Stark’s Story Doesn’t Require Other Returning Characters

Pretty much any Game of Thrones spinoff that continues on from season 8 – barring a decades-long time jump – would have a problem with just being season 9. No matter which character it decides to follow, whether that’s Sansa in the North or even Jon Snow beyond the Wall, raises the question of where other characters are, what they’re doing, and why they aren’t involved, and thus likely necessitates the need for the whole cast and crew to come back. They’re all still in Westeros, at the same time, so it’s a difficult issue to get around.

Because she’s actually left the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, then there’s a legitimate, built-in reason for a spinoff to focus only on Arya…

The exception to this is a show following the adventures of Arya Stark, who left to find what’s West of Westeros in the series finale. Because she’s actually left the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, then there’s a legitimate, built-in reason for a spinoff to focus only on Arya, without any need to address what’s going on elsewhere. Her journeys would take months if not years, and so it’d be no problem if there’s no appearance from Jon Snow or Sansa, and while audiences may still wonder, there’s an obvious reason to avoid the question, which any other sequel wouldn’t have.

An Arya Stark Spinoff Is The Best Story Game Of Thrones Has Left To Tell

Finding “What’s West Of Westeros” Could Be An Interesting Story

It’s not just that an Arya Stark spinoff could avoid problems with returning cast and characters, but that there is an actual story there. More than anyone else, Arya’s ending was really about her future: whereas things like Sansa and Bran becoming rulers are endpoints to their arcs and Jon Snow going North of the Wall allows him to heal from his trauma, Arya’s is all about discovery, and so audiences could discover those things with her.

There’s a chance for something really new with a story following Arya: characters, locations, parts of the world that haven’t been shown or nobody even knows exist. That would also allow for more development of – and time with – the real Arya, because, in a sense, we don’t fully know her right now. We spent years with her as a young girl, and then years with her as no one and someone seeking vengeance, but what about this Arya? She has a newfound sense of balance, a reclaimed identity, and a different purpose now, and given she was already one of Game of Thrones’ best characters, then that’s something that could be great to follow.

Will An Arya Stark Spinoff Or Game Of Thrones Season 9 Ever Actually Happen?

It Seems Unlikely, But Stranger Things Have Happened

Of course, it’s easy to say that an Arya Stark spinoff should happen, but it is a lot more difficult to make it happen. It’s certainly easier than season 9, since it just requires Maisie Williams to sign on, but there’s no guarantee she would. Williams discussed a Game of Thrones return back in 2022, and while she didn’t shoot down the idea, it would need a lot of things to be right and come together:

“I’m not saying it would never happen, but I’m also not saying it in this interview so that everyone goes… [gasps] ‘The spin-off! It’s coming!’ Because it’s not. It has to be the right time and the right people. It has to be right in the context of all the other spin-offs and the universe of Game of Thrones . […] It has to be the right time for me.”

There’s also the matter of another upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, which is an animated show following Corlys Velaryon on his Great Voyages. These were a series of nine voyages around the world, where he acclimated great wealth; given the nature of the story – a key character from another show sailing around on an adventure of discovery – it may be too similar for an Arya spinoff to be considered.

Upcoming Game of Thrones Spinoffs

Title
Description
Status

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
An adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s The Tales of Dunk & Egg novellas
Season 1 releasing in 2025 on HBO and Max

House of the Dragon
Ongoing Game of Thrones prequel, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons
Season 3 expected in 2026; season 4 will be the last

Aegon’s Conquest
The story of King Aegon I Targaryen and the conquest of Westeros with his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya
In-development

10,000 Ships
A spinoff about Princess Nymeria, who led her people the Rhoynar to Dorne after a war with the Valyrian Freehold
In-development

Nine Voyages
An animated show about Corlys Velaryon’s Great Voyages, where he sailed around the Known World
In-development

The Golden Empire (unofficial)
An animated show set in empire of Yi Ti, which is in the far East of Essos
In-development

TBC
Another live-action Game of Thrones spinoff
In-development

TBC
Another animated Game of Thrones spinoff
In-development

That said, an Arya sequel would undoubtedly be an even bigger deal, and an absolute home run for HBO. It’s a clear continuation of the main show with one of its most popular characters, and so if the network could get it made, then surely it’d jump at the opportunity. It does seem unlikely, but it definitely feels more plausible than Game of Thrones season 9.

Even that isn’t entirely impossible, given how many shows have had revivals over the years. But HBO seems intent on expanding the Game of Thrones franchise, not just continuing it, and with the risks involved of further hurting the show’s legacy and the difficulties of bringing everyone back, it’s extremely unlikely to happen.