Game of Thrones creator makes sudden cameo in TV show for apparent joke about The Winds of Winter

George R. R. Martin made a surprise cameo in the TV show Dark Winds, with an apparent dig at his long-delayed new novel, The Winds of Winter. The scene is in the season 3 premiere, and he’s not the only famous face involved.

We got the first episode of Dark Winds season 3 this week, featuring a pair of true ne’er-do-wells in holding. Joe Leaphorn stops by to check on them, revealing a chess game, with Martin on end, thinking of his next mode of attack, and opposite him? Hollywood icon Robert Redford, who delivers a choice dig.

“George, the whole world’s waiting, make a move,” Redford’s character exclaims. Martin’s prisoner remains tentative, until Joe gives him a winning tactic.

If only finishing the next installment of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration behind Game of Thrones, was so simple. Martin and Redford are both executive producers on Dark Winds, itself an adaptation of another book series by Tony Hillerman about various cases tackled by Joe and his fellow detective Jim Chee, so it’s not totally random to see them.

Any public appearance by Martin garners the same response of people wondering when we’ll get to read the sixth part of A Song of Ice and Fire. It’s been 14 years since the last book, A Dance With Dragons, and we’ve had scattered updates since, including from Martin, who says progress is being made.

To be fair, he’s had his hands full since 2011, helping with Game of Thrones itself, collaborating with FromSoftware on the game Elden Ring, and all manner of other exploits, including just recently opening his own cocktail bar. Several more of his works have been adapted, with In a Lost Lands starring Milla Jovovich about to arrive in theatres.

Of course, House of the Dragon season 3 will continue the history of Westeros, looking at the Targaryens years before the events of Game of Thrones. Sometimes it really seems like we’re going to get everything except The Winds of Winter. Alas, have a look through our new TV shows and upcoming movies guides for releases you can definitely count on.