Another George R.R. Martin universe may be headed to television

As Game of Thrones heads towards its penultimate season, television executives are looking to the works of George R.R. Martin for another series.

The Song of Ice and Fire author announced on his Live Journal blog on Saturday that Universal Cable productions has acquired the rights to his long-running Wild Cards anthology series.

The series encompasses a set of solo novels, mosaic novels and anthologies written by a collection of sci-fi writers and edited by Martin and Melinda Snodgrass.

The books are set in an alternate history in which an alien virus called "Wild Card" hit Earth after World War II and mutated humans into either superhero "Aces" or deformed, monstrous "Jokers."

"It is a universe, as large and diverse and exciting as the comic book universes of Marvel and DC (though somewhat grittier, and considerably more realistic and more consistent), with an enormous cast of characters both major and minor," Martin writes.

For those worried that the new project might detract from valuable writing time on the pending sixth installment of Ice and Fire, Winds of Winter, Martin assures he won't be involved in the development for that reason. Snodgrass is attached to serve as executive producer.

"Of course, Hollywood is Hollywood, and nothing is ever certain in development," Martin writes. "But I think I hope I cross my fingers that the Wild Cards will be coming to your home screens in the next year or two."