👑 Game of Thrones — Key Facts
| TV IP Owner | Warner Bros. Discovery / HBO (NASDAQ: WBD) |
| Source Novel Copyright | George R.R. Martin (“A Song of Ice and Fire”) |
| TV Creators | David Benioff & D.B. Weiss (showrunners, Seasons 1–8) |
| Original Run | 2011–2019 (8 seasons, HBO) |
| Spinoffs | House of the Dragon (HBO, 2022–); A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2025) |
| Peak Viewership | ~20M viewers per episode (US, Season 8, 2019) |
Game of Thrones is a television franchise owned by HBO, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD). The TV series was adapted from George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels — the copyright to which Martin retains — by showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. HBO licensed the TV rights from Martin and produced the series, which ran from 2011 to 2019 and became one of the most watched and culturally discussed television series in history.
Who Owns Game of Thrones?
The ownership of Game of Thrones has two distinct layers. The novels — “A Song of Ice and Fire” series — are the intellectual property of George R.R. Martin, who retains copyright to his written works. The television adaptation, including all characters, scripts, costume designs, and production elements created for the show, is owned by HBO. HBO is now a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery, formed in 2022 when AT&T spun off WarnerMedia and it merged with Discovery, Inc. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss adapted Martin’s novels for television under their deal with HBO, receiving creative compensation but not long-term IP ownership of the franchise. George R.R. Martin has a consulting/producing role on HBO’s Game of Thrones universe.
From Novel to Cultural Phenomenon
George R.R. Martin published “A Game of Thrones” in 1996 — the first novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series — followed by “A Clash of Kings” (1998), “A Storm of Swords” (2000), “A Feast for Crows” (2005), and “A Dance with Dragons” (2011). Two final novels (“The Winds of Winter” and “A Dream of Spring”) remain unpublished. HBO’s adaptation ran for eight seasons (2011–2019), with production values and scope that rivaled feature films. At its peak, Game of Thrones was the most-watched series in HBO history and won 59 Primetime Emmy Awards — a television record at the time. The final season (2019) was divisive among fans but remained the highest-rated season by viewership.
House of the Dragon and the Expanding Universe
Following Game of Thrones’ conclusion, HBO has invested heavily in expanding the Westeros universe. House of the Dragon — a prequel set 200 years before Game of Thrones, based on Martin’s “Fire & Blood” — premiered in August 2022 and was immediately renewed for multiple seasons, becoming one of HBO Max’s biggest launches. Additional spinoffs including A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are in development. Warner Bros. Discovery has made the Game of Thrones universe a cornerstone of its HBO Max (now Max) streaming strategy, betting that Westeros has multi-decade franchise potential comparable to Marvel or Star Wars in terms of IP value.
