It has been nearly seven years since the Iron Throne was melted into a puddle of slag, and honestly, the withdrawal symptoms are still kinda real. We all remember that Sunday night ritual. The sweeping theme music, the frantic group chats, the collective groan at the season finale. But for the Game of Thrones stars, the end of the show wasn't just a wrap on a job; it was the start of a very weird, very public uphill climb to prove they weren't just "that guy from the dragon show."
Fast forward to 2026. The dust has settled, but the careers of the Stark and Lannister clans have taken some wild turns you probably didn't see coming. Some have leaned into the blockbuster life, while others basically vanished into prestige indie projects. If you've been wondering why Jon Snow is suddenly playing a romantic lead opposite his former sister, or why Daenerys is speaking fluent Russian on your TV screen, here is what’s actually happening.
Sophie Turner and Kit Harington: The "Incestuous" Reunion
You can't make this up. In what is easily the most "internet-breaking" casting move of 2026, Sophie Turner and Kit Harington are officially back together on screen. But there’s a catch that has fans feeling a bit... well, awkward.
They aren't playing the Stark siblings this time.
In the new gothic horror flick The Dreadful, which hits theaters in February 2026, the two play romantic leads. Yeah. Jon and Sansa. Lovers. Turner herself has been pretty candid in recent interviews, admiting that filming romantic scenes with Harington felt "very embarrassing" after a decade of playing his little sister. The movie is set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses (very on-brand for them) and involves a mysterious man from the past returning to a lonely estate. It’s dark, it’s moody, and it’s definitely going to make your next rewatch of Game of Thrones feel a little different.
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Emilia Clarke's Spy Pivot
While Harington is leaning into the medieval vibes again, Emilia Clarke has completely shed the Mother of Dragons persona. She’s currently starring in a Peacock original called Ponies, which just dropped this month.
Forget the blonde wig and the "Dracarys" screaming.
In Ponies, Clarke plays Bea, a highly educated secretary at the American Embassy in 1970s Moscow. When her husband is killed under suspicious circumstances, she gets recruited by the CIA. The twist? She’s a "Pony"—intelligence slang for a person of no interest. Basically, she’s so "ordinary" that she’s the perfect spy. She actually learned a massive amount of Russian for the role, and seeing her navigate Cold War conspiracies is a far cry from her days in Meereen. It’s sharp, it’s funny, and it proves she’s one of the few actors from the original cast who can carry a high-stakes thriller without needing a CGI lizard for backup.
Why the Jon Snow Sequel Died (And Arya's Might Live)
We need to talk about the elephant in the room: the "Snow" spin-off. For years, Kit Harington was the driving force behind a sequel series that would follow Jon Snow north of the Wall.
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As of early 2026, that project is officially dead.
Harington recently shut down the rumors with a pretty blunt "No, god no." He spent ten years in the freezing mud of Belfast and apparently, the creative team just couldn't find a story that felt worth the frostbite. But while Jon Snow is staying in the crypts, Maisie Williams might be getting her own moment. HBO is reportedly pivoting toward an Arya Stark sequel.
Think about it. Arya sailing west of Westeros is the perfect "uncanonized" territory. While nothing is signed in blood yet, George R.R. Martin’s recent bombshell interviews suggest that the focus has shifted toward Arya’s "high-seas adventure" style of story. It avoids the "PTSD-heavy" vibe of the Snow pitch and gives fans something actually new.
The Lannisters: From Oregon to the "Shitheads"
What about the lions? They’ve been busy, though in very different ways.
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- Lena Headey: She’s currently dominating Netflix in a brutal Western called The Abandons. Created by Kurt Sutter (the Sons of Anarchy guy), it features Headey as an Irish immigrant defending her land in 1850s Oregon. If you thought Cersei was ruthless, you haven't seen her with a 19th-century shotgun.
- Peter Dinklage: He’s taking the "one for them, one for me" approach. He’s got a project titled The Shitheads slated for later this year, and honestly, the title alone tells you everything you need to know about his post-Tyrion comedy era.
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: Jamie Lannister has mostly stayed in the European film circuit, but he’s also become a massive advocate for climate change. You’re more likely to see him at a UN summit or a high-fashion runway show these days than in a Hollywood cape.
The Sophie Turner "Tomb Raider" Gamble
If you think Sophie Turner is just doing indie horror, think again. She is currently deep in training to become the next Lara Croft.
Amazon MGM is betting big on a live-action Tomb Raider series written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Production kicked off this January. Turner has been training for nearly a year to get into "archaeologist-action-hero" shape. It’s a massive risk. Lara Croft is a role that has swallowed actors whole before, but Turner seems to have that "I survived the Battle of the Bastards" grit that might actually make it work.
What to Watch Right Now
If you’re missing the cast, here is your 2026 watchlist:
- Ponies (Peacock): Emilia Clarke as a 70s spy. It’s an easy weekend binge.
- The Abandons (Netflix): Lena Headey being scary in the Old West.
- The Dreadful (Theaters): See Kit and Sophie reunite on Feb 20th.
The reality is that most of these actors are finally outgrowing the shadows of their characters. They aren't the "stars of Game of Thrones" anymore; they're just stars. If you want to keep up, stop looking for them in capes. Start looking for them in 1970s tracksuits and 1850s mud.
Your Next Step: If you're a die-hard fan, check out the first-look images of Sophie Turner as Lara Croft on Prime Video's official social channels to see the transformation for yourself.