George R.R. Martin Responds to Frustrated Fans Over Winds of Winter Delay

George R.R. Martin has responded to growing frustrations over the delayed release of The Winds of Winter, the anticipated sixth installment in his A Song of Ice and Fire series, telling fans: "You’ve lost faith in me."

Last week, Martin took on a producer role for an upcoming animated Hercules film—another diversion from the long-awaited novel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie, titled A Dozen Tough Jobs, reimagines Hercules' legendary 12 labors through the eyes of a 1920s Mississippi farmer.

In a blog post, Martin acknowledged the overwhelmingly negative reaction from Game of Thrones fans.

I get it. Some of you will be furious about this, just like with every update of mine that isn’t about Westeros or THE WINDS OF WINTER. You’ve given up on me—or on the book ever being done. You’re convinced I’ll never finish it. And even if I do, A DREAM OF SPRING will never follow. Or worse, it’ll disappoint. Maybe another writer should take over… I’m too old anyway, and I’ve supposedly lost all passion for A Song of Ice and Fire. “He only cares about spending his money now,” you’ll say. “He edits Wild Cards, but we hate those.” You might despise everything else I’ve ever written—the Hugo winners and losers, the novellas, the anthologies I curated with Gardner Dozois. None of it matters but WINDS—that’s what you’ve made clear, over and over.

But here’s the truth: I do care about those stories.

And yes, I care deeply about Westeros and THE WINDS OF WINTER. The Starks, Lannisters, Targaryens—Tyrion, Asha, Daenerys, the dragons and direwolves—they mean everything to me. More than you could possibly know.

A Dozen Tough Jobs captivated me decades ago. Howard’s vision was brilliant, and it’s a shame he never saw it adapted. We owe it to his legacy. Hercules, Howard, Joe, Lion Forge… I wish I could make you feel half my excitement for this project.

Martin concluded by directing the announcement to those who might share his enthusiasm.

George R.R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones. Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images.

No release date has been confirmed for The Winds of Winter, the next chapter in Martin’s epic saga. Fourteen years have passed since A Dance with Dragons debuted in July 2011.

At 76, Martin still intends to conclude the series with A Dream of Spring—a goal the TV adaptation abandoned, delivering a polarizing finale. While fans wait, Martin has juggled other projects: multiple Game of Thrones spinoffs (including the hit House of the Dragon), franchise lore books, and even contributing to the lore of Elden Ring.

In September 2024, he admitted TV commitments dominated his time, delaying writing progress. As of last month, he remains firm: Winds isn’t arriving anytime soon. On April 7, 2025, he vented about constant rumors, insisting: "Stop interpreting every remark as proof the book is imminent. It isn’t."

When Will The Winds of Winter Finally Release?