George R.R. Martin’s work doesn’t include just Game of Thrones and the books the series is based on. He’s also the author of The Skin Trade, which will be turning into a series at Cinemax.
Martin announced the news himself on his Not A Blog, where he confirmed that Cinemax had optioned the TV rights to the novella written in the late 1980s. The author wrote that Cinemax ordered a pilot, but it’s not clear when shooting would start. After all, Cinemax could end up deciding that they don’t like the script and it might never air.
The Sin Trade was published in a novella collection called Night Vision 5, which also featured a story by Stephen King. Martin said that he had actually tried to get a show based on the project in 1991, but he ended up selling Doorways, an ill-fated pilot, to ABC.
The werewolf story was bought by Mike The Pike Productions, who took it to Cinemax. Kalinda Vazquez (Prison Break, Once Upon A Time) will write and produce.
“She loves the story and the world, and really seems to get Willie and Randi, and her pitch to Cinemax was one of the most polished and professional I've ever heard. I love her enthusiasm, and look forward to working with her,” Martin wrote. “(And no, while I would have loved to write the script and run the show myself myself, that was never really in the cards. I have this book to finish. You know the one).”
Of course, Martin is best known as the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the books that HBO’s Game of Thrones is based on. That show will start its sixth season next year.