Filming for a prequel to Game of Thrones will begin in Northern Ireland this Autumn following location shoots on the Canary islands. The spin-off is set 1,000 years prior to the original series. It will star Naomi Watts in the lead role.

Game of Thrones has become synonymous with Northern Ireland for many international visitors. Since it began in 2010, it has been one of the norths largest tourist attractions next to the Titanic. Its main studio has been The Paint Hall in Belfast but the series has filmed on location at the Dark Hedges close to Ballycastle, Shillanavogy Valley near Slemish in County Antrim and Ballintoy Harbour on the north Antrim coast. Fans of the show have visited these destinations in records numbers.

The final series of Game of Thrones is due to air later this year. The episodes shot in Northern Ireland are reported to cost a staggering $15million each.

In other Game of Thrones news, a touring exhibition will open in Belfast in April this year, the same month the final season airs. The event offers fans a chance to immerse themselves in the land of the fantasy tv series.