Kit Harington built his career on one of television's most iconic characters, and now the 39-year-old actor is opening the door he once closed. During a September 21 appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Harington revisited the long-shelved Jon Snow spinoff of Game of Thrones — the same project he confirmed was "off the table" back in 2024. His new comments suggest the idea isn't as dead as fans feared. Here's everything you need to know about where things stand.
Things to Know:
Harington first confirmed the Jon Snow spinoff was shelved in a 2024 interview with Screen Rant.
He revisited the idea on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, hosted by Josh Horowitz, on September 21, 2026.
The project, reportedly given the working title Snow, was in development at HBO for roughly two years.
Harington says distance from the role has left him "more comfortable" with the character.
How Jon Snow Made Kit Harington Famous
Harington's breakout came as Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, the HBO drama that ran from 2011 to 2019 and turned him into one of the most recognizable faces on television. After the series ended, Harington went on to star in Marvel's Eternals as Dane Whitman, appeared in an episode of Amazon's Modern Love, and headlined Shakespeare's Henry V at the Donmar Warehouse in London. Those roles, Harington has said, were part of a deliberate effort to step outside Jon Snow's shadow.
That shadow was heavier than most fans realize. Harington has described fans calling out to him using his character's name instead of his own as the show grew in popularity, which he says caused a kind of internal split. He needed new roles, he explained, simply to feel like himself again.
Kit Harington attends the 2026 Disney Upfront at Jacob Javits Center on May 12, 2026 in New York City.
John Nacion/FilmMagic
The Jon Snow Spinoff That Almost Happened
Word of a potential Jon Snow-centered series first surfaced in mid-2022. Since the sequel series would pick up after the final season of Game of Thrones, it was expected that familiar faces — including his half-siblings Arya Stark, played by Maisie Williams, and Sansa Stark, played by Sophie Turner — could eventually reappear. Author George R.R. Martin confirmed on his blog that the idea originated with Harington himself, who also helped assemble the writing team.
The project moved through development for about two years. "We developed it two years or so," Harington said, recalling the process on the podcast. But by 2024, the momentum had stalled. Speaking to Screen Rant at the time, Harington explained that the show was no longer in active development because "we all couldn't find the right story to tell" that excited everyone involved, and that the team had decided to set it aside for the time being.
Why Kit Harington Stepped Back from Jon Snow
Harington has been candid about needing space before he could imagine returning to Westeros. He and the show's creative partners, including HBO and Martin, shared a philosophy from the start: they didn't want to force a continuation just because the character remained popular. Ultimately, it was Harington's own hesitation that helped shelve it. "But I was very insistent at the start — as was HBO and George R.R. Martin — of like: 'If we don't find the right thing, let's not do it,'" he recalled, adding that after some reflection, he decided the story wasn't quite right yet.
That decision came with a personal cost, but also, it seems, a necessary one. Taking on other projects gave Harington room to grow as a performer beyond the character that first made him famous.
Kit Harington Reopens the Door to Jon Snow
Four years after the spinoff was first announced, Harington's tone has shifted. "I still think there's a world in which something could work. I wouldn't have gone into it in the first place if I didn't," he told podcast host Josh Horowitz. That's a meaningfully softer stance than the "off the table" language he used just two years earlier.
Harington credits time and distance for the change of heart. "Now I've gone and done all these other things, and now I feel more comfortable with that character and that world again and where it sits in my life," he shared. It's a candid admission from an actor who has spent years carefully separating himself from the role that made him a household name — and now sounds ready to let the two coexist.
Will There Be a Jon Snow Spinoff?
Nothing is officially back in development, and HBO has not commented on Harington's remarks. For now, HBO's Westeros slate remains focused on House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Still, Harington's willingness to even discuss the project publicly again marks a notable shift from his firmer denials in past years, and it's kept fans speculating about what a return to Jon Snow's story might actually look like.
While fans wait for word on Jon Snow, HBO's Westeros universe isn't the only franchise keeping the network busy. The Sienna Miller and Dominic West divorce drama War just dropped its first trailer, and HBO Max's dark comedy DTF St. Louis capped off a big night at the 2026 Emmys — proof the network's drama slate is thriving even without new Westeros content.
Nothing is confirmed, and Harington himself stopped short of promising anything definite. But after years of closing the door, he's finally left it open a crack — and for Game of Thrones fans, that alone is news. Stay tuned to Bigwritehook for more on Kit Harington and any future Game of Thrones spinoff developments.
Sources: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, The A.V. Club
