The 'Game of Thrones' Showrunners Are Working on a Controversial New TV Series

The concept has the internet torn.

Game of Thrones' showrunners are working on a new TV show, but it's not a GoT spinoff. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will executive produce an upcoming Civil War drama on HBO called Confederateaccording to the Hollywood Reporter.

If you thought the storylines for GoT were insane, wait until you hear what Confederate has to offer. Take a look at the official synopsis HBO just released:

"Confederate chronicles the events leading to the Third American Civil War. The series takes place in an alternate timeline, where the southern states have successfully seceded from the Union, giving rise to a nation in which slavery remains legal and has evolved into a modern institution. The story follows a broad swath of characters on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Demilitarized Zone—freedom fighters, slave hunters, politicians, abolitionists, journalists, the executives of a slave-holding conglomerate, and the families of people in their thrall."

In other words, think Man in the High Castle, but in the context of American history. Though Benioff and Weiss' Game of Thrones boasts a massive fandom, the news of their next project was not met so enthusiastically online.

Confederate for years, originally as a concept for feature film," the producing pair said in a statement. Production for the series is slated to begin after Game of Thrones' eighth (and last) season, which is set to air in 2018 or 2019.

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Erica Gonzales

Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.