George R.R. Martin Joins Hercules Animation as Producer

George R.R. Martin, the author behind Game of Thrones, has signed on to produce an upcoming animated Hercules film. This marks another side project for the writer, who continues to delay work on the highly anticipated next installment, The Winds of Winter.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin will serve as a producer on "A Dozen Tough Jobs," a film that reimagines the classic Greek myth of Hercules' twelve labors. The story is told from the viewpoint of a farmer in 1920s Mississippi.

While Martin is involved as a producer, he will not be writing the screenplay. Script duties fall to Joe R. Lansdale, the author of the eccentric novel Bubba Ho-Tep, which features Elvis Presley battling an Egyptian mummy.

"If anyone understands epic storytelling and the power of expansive franchises, it's George R.R. Martin," said David Steward II, head of the production company Lion Forge Entertainment.

"With A Dozen Tough Jobs, we're revitalizing a timeless legend through a fresh and culturally rich perspective. This is more than a simple retelling—it's an innovative take that grounds the myth in history while exploring uncharted narrative territory, offering audiences an experience they've never seen before."

The release date for The Winds of Winter, the next book in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, remains uncertain. It has now been nearly 14 years since the previous book, A Dance with Dragons, was published in July 2011.

The 76-year-old author still intends to conclude the series with A Dream of Spring, following The Winds of Winter. The television adaptation of Game of Thrones did not wait for these final books, proceeding with its own ending that received a mixed response from viewers.

While fans await the new book, Martin has remained active on other fronts. He has been involved, to varying degrees, in several Game of Thrones television spin-offs, including the successful House of the Dragon, as well as writing fictional histories set within the world of Westeros.

Martin has also contributed to video games, most notably providing world-building lore for the title Elden Ring.

In a September 2024 blog post, Martin acknowledged that "television projects consumed most of the first half" of the year, limiting his writing progress. As for when The Winds of Winter will arrive, the author indicated as recently as last month that it will not be soon.

In an April 7, 2025, update, Martin expressed frustration, writing, "I am so tired of having to issue denials every time a casual remark of mine—often unrelated to WINDS—convinces half the internet the book is about to be released. It is not. No."