Is "Winds of Winter" coming out in 2017? That is one question George R.R. Martin still has no definite answer for. The release date of the long-gestating sixth book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" is expected to be delayed as Martin reportedly shifts his attention to a new project.
According to reports, Martin is taking some time off from writing "The Winds of Winter" to focus on the launch Stagecoach Foundation project, a non-profit office and film studio dedicated to helping out established production companies and emerging filmmakers.
The Rolling Stone reported that Stagecoach Foundation will be based in Martin's hometown Santa Fe, New Mexico, and will be housed in a 30,000 square-foot building equipped with offices and production facilities.
"As a foundation and a non-profit, [Martin's] vision to make this facility accessible and affordable," Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales said about Martin's new venture.
The renowned author previously revealed that "Game of Thrones" Season 7 will premiere ahead of the release of "The Winds of Winter." In a brief update on his Live Journal blog, saying he is not done yet, but he has made progress.
"Not done yet, but I've made progress," Martin said. "But not as much as I hoped a year ago, when I thought to be done by now. I think it will be out this year. (But hey, I thought the same thing last year)."
The same thing was expected last year. Before "Game of Thrones" Season 6 premiered, fans were already anticipating the release of "The Winds of Winter," especially since the series is already moving far head of the books.
However, Martin assured fans that he has written "dozens of chapters" and "hundreds of pages" for the upcoming book, but admitted that there's still a lot left to do before the final book can hit the shelves. Last year, Martin released a couple of excerpts from the books to tease fans on what's to come.
"Game of Thrones" Season 7 will premiere on HBO on July 16. The Emmy-winning show is now down to its last two seasons, which will have a total of 13 episodes.