'Game of Thrones' author George R.R. Martin talks about the 'toxic' Internet fan backlash

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'Game of Thrones' prequel pilot begins filming in Northern Ireland

For fans of the HBO hit series 'Game of Thrones,' 'the long night' has begun as they are still reeling from the fantasy drama's series finale. However, the first prequel series set in the lands of Westeros has quietly begun production. According to Entertainment Weekly, the pilot for the prequel began filming in Northern Ireland. The story is reportedly set thousands of years before the events of 'Game of Thrones.'

As things settle down following the fan-reviled final season of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” author George R.R. Martin is sharing his thoughts on the backlash the show received.

Fans were less than thrilled with how creators Dan Weiss and David Benioff wrapped up the beloved fantasy drama. Things got so bad that an online petition calling for HBO to remake the final season of the show went viral with more than 1.5 million signatures.

‘GAME OF THRONES’ AUTHOR GEORGE R.R. MARTIN TEASES BOOK ENDING, WHAT’S NEXT FOR SERIES

Martin, who wrote the “Song of Ice and Fire” book series that the show is based on, spoke about the “toxic” culture of Internet fandom that he believes is making the environment for creatives more volatile than it was in the past.

“The Internet is toxic in a way that old fanzine culture and fandoms – comics fans, science fiction fans – in those days, was not,” The 70-year-old writer told Leonard Maltin on a podcast (via Indiewire). “There were disagreements. There were feuds, but nothing like the madness that you see on the Internet.”

George R.R. Martin discussed the ways in which his books will be different than the show.  (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

Martin shared his vision for how his book series, which still has two more installments to go, will end. However, given that the show took a very different trajectory than the books, as well as having the benefit of hindsight, Martin assured readers of his blog that his novels won’t be the same.

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“How will it all end? I hear people asking. The same ending as the show?  Different?” he wrote on his blog. “Well… yes. And no. And yes.  And no. And yes.   And no. And yes.”

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He concluded: “I am working in a very different medium than David and Dan, never forget. They had six hours for this final season. I expect these last two books of mine will fill 3,000 manuscript pages between them before I’m done… and if more pages and chapters and scenes are needed, I’ll add them.”