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New Star Wars films coming from 'Game of Thrones' creators

From Winterfell to outer space: The producers of HBO's hit sword-and-sorcery series take on another challenge, this time in a galaxy far, far away.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, generational studies. Credentials
  • Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Gael Cooper
2 min read
Sansa Stark (left) and Leia Organa

Star Wars and "Game of Thrones" both feature sprawling universes and memorable characters, such as Sansa Stark (left) and Leia Organa. The "Thrones" producers should feel right at home.

HBO/Disney

"Game of Thrones" and "Star Wars" in the same sentence? Could it be? Or is this just a sci-fi and fantasy fan's really good dream?

It's reality, folks. But sadly, the characters of the two fantastical universes won't be meeting -- though two of the behind-the-scenes personnel from one world will be crossing into the other.

Lucasfilm announced Tuesday that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of the HBO TV series "Game of Thrones," will be writing and producing a new series of Star Wars films.

This isn't the same series "Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson is working on, Lucasfilm was quick to note in a statement, which also sang the praises of Benioff and Weiss.

"David and Dan are some of the best storytellers working today," said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. "Their command of complex characters, depth of story and richness of mythology will break new ground and boldly push Star Wars in ways I find incredibly exciting."

Benioff and Weiss issued their own statement: "In the summer of 1977 we traveled to a galaxy far, far away, and we've been dreaming of it ever since. We are honored by the opportunity, a little terrified by the responsibility, and so excited to get started as soon as the final season of 'Game of Thrones' is complete."

No dates or details for the new films have been announced. "Game of Thrones" is expected to return in 2019.

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