HBO greenlights A Game of Thrones pilot! (spoilers)
 

EDIT: Changed the original header to mark this as the thread where spoilers are allowed (but not necessarily recommended...). Created a new, spoiler-free thread for Ice and Fire virgins...


This is awesome...

Huge, Huge News

Nov. 11th, 2008 at 10:29 PM

HBO has given the production order.

They will be filming the pilot episode of A GAME OF THRONES.

It's just the pilot so far. They'll need to see that before they decide whether to proceed with a full season's episodes. So let's all hope the pilot will kick serious ass.

It should. David Benioff and Dan Weiss did a terrific job with the script. And yes, all of you can relax, it's very faithful. Dan and David will be the executive producers for the pilot and (we hope) the eventual series.

More details when I have 'em. The news is very fresh. HBO just issued their own press release, which should be up on their website soon, if it's not there already.

Winter is coming to HBO. Hot damn.

More...


HBO orders fantasy pilot 'Thrones'

HBO has given a pilot order to fantasy project "Game of Thrones."

November 11, 2008

The program is based on George R.R. Martin’s bestselling series of novels "A Song of Fire & Ice" and executive produced by David Benioff ("Troy") and D.B. Weiss ("Halo"). The title “Game of Thrones” is from the first novel in the series.

If greenlit, “Thrones” would represent the rarest of TV genres: a full-fledged fantasy series.

Though broadcasters have embraced sci-fi-tinged shows in recent years following the success of ABC’s “Lost” and NBC’s “Heroes,” and supernatural themes have been given a spin by CW’s “Supernatural” and HBO’s own “True Blood,” high fantasy is nearly nonexistent in primetime TV history -- and “Thrones” is an unabashed member of the genre. The books have swords, dragons, magic, the works.

“Fantasy is the most successful genre in terms of feature films given the incredible popularity of ‘Lord of the Rings’ and Harry Potter movies,” Benioff said. “High fantasy has never been done on TV before and if anybody can do it, it’s HBO. They’ve taken tired genres and reinvented them -- mobsters in ‘The Sopranos’ and Westerns with ‘Deadwood.’”

The cost of producing a fantasy series is usually a big factor that deters networks. The producers note “Thrones” is written as a character drama and major battles often take place off stage.

“It’s not a story with a million orcs charging across the plains,” Weiss said. “The most expensive effects are creature effects and there’s not much of that.”

Martin plans seven books in the series. The producers intend for each season to span one novel.

But before the series can get on the air, the producers first have to slay a more formidable threat than any dragon: pilot competitors. HBO has 10 other pilots in contention for series orders. Though the network declines to project how many shows will receive an order since HBO doesn’t need to fill a specific number of time-periods like broadcasters, at least six are expected to get a pickup.

Also, the success of “True Blood” may work in “Thrones'” favor. HBO has always sought to defy any sort of specific genre branding for their network, emphasizing that each project is judged on its own merits. Yet given how the vampire drama continues to gain viewers, and how Showtime’s swords-and-monarchy historical drama “The Tudors” has performed strongly, it’s not unreasonable to believe the network may see “Thrones” as a good fit.

Previous fantasy titles on TV are few and far between. ABC’s “Pushing Daisies” might qualify as a member of the genre, though its fantastical elements are wrapped in a modern day crime procedural. ABC Family’s “Kyle XY” could fit. Some would consider the WB’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fantasy, though supernatural drama is probably a more appropriate term. Former syndicated program “Xena Warrior Princess,” however, is firmly in the genre. NBC’s upcoming “Kings” also qualifies.

Some thoughts: I suspect a fair number of viewers are going to love this idea -- a high fantasy series with a grown-up budget and no content restrictions? Not even the hugely popular movie franchises cited by the producers have offered such a prospect, because no studio greenlights a fantasy budget without the promise of a PG-13 rating. Combined with "True Blood," this also suggests an interesting, AintItCoolNews-targeted direction for the network. Less edgy-PBS, more R-rated Comic Con.

I just read this news on Martins blog and I was coming to post it.

Lots of shows get to the pilot stage and then get turned down though so this is still no guarantee, but it's promising. This is very exciting... I can't wait to see this.

Can you guys give a brief synopsis of what a game of thrones is?

A Game of Thrones is the first book in the fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George RR Martin.
Many readers, myself included, consider this series to be the best fantasy works ever written (apologies to Tolkien). It's known for being gritty and realistic with not a whole lot of magic or fantastic stuff going on, and for being incredibly unpredictable. The real meat of the series is the political intrigue and inter personal drama, hence the name "A Game of Thrones"

So awesome. I've been a longtime GRRM fan and I was trying not to get my hopes up about this.

Great. Now finish the damn book already GRRM.

Thanks man. Sounds right up my alley. Off to amazon I go.

Good luck getting sleep.

There are currently only three books right?

Four published. Well really 3.5. The 'fourth' only contains half of the character perspectives.

• A Game of Thrones (1996)
• A Clash of Kings (1998)
• A Storm of Swords (2000)
• A Feast for Crows (2005)

BTW, I'm kind of curious.

For those that have read the series, which character chapters do you most enjoy reading?

Tyrion is my favorite character.

I think that is a fairly common answer.

I like all of the Starks for some reason. Especially Arya.

Arya and Sansa never interested me all that much, probably because I prefer the political side of the story. I didn't care for how Arya spent 2.5 books wanering around the countryside, though I like where Arya and Sansa's plots are heaing in AFFC.

If I had to choose just one POV through the whole series, it would be Daenerys'.

Its hard to choose, because on the second time through, I started enjoying the other perspectives a lot more.

I have been trying to put off reading the 3rd one for a while because it sucks up so much time and work has been busy. However this thread will probably make me start on it this evening.

Great news! Hope it gets picked up after the pilot...

First off, I really, really, and I mean REALLY hope it is better than Legend of the Seeker. Now that I have that off my chest, my only concern would be the show catching up to the books. He has taken so damn long to even finish Dance with Dragons, and he seems to be more interested in blogging and his Wild Cards than anything else. :cuss:

My favorite characters would have to be Tyrion, Arya, and Jon Snow. I absolutely loathe Sansa.

Casting is well underway...

Sean Bean, who you might remember from some Tolkien movie about earrings or something, is Ned Stark:

http://www.canmag.com/images/front/b...th/boromir.jpg


Mark Addy has been cast as King Robert Baratheon:

http://www.filmdope.com/Gallery/ActorsA/20649-26512.gif


Jack Gleeson, seen in Batman Begins, is Joffrey Baratheon:

http://www.filmdope.com/Gallery/ActorsG/58178-26622.gif


Harry Lloyd, who you may have (but probably haven't) seen as Will Scarlett in BBC's Robin Hood, is Viserys Targaryen:

http://www.trh.co.uk/images/bio/pic/hlloyd.jpg


Kit Harington has landed the role of Jon Snow:

http://ntmedia.palm.tincan.co.uk/fil...gton7K4Fyd.jpg


And, of course, Peter Dinklage is Tyrion Lannister:

http://www.thecinemasource.com/movie...ce_Caspian.jpg


No females cast yet as far as I know. It should be interesting.

Dinklage and Bean are quite solid picks.

Any word of when the next volume of the novels will be released?

I always thought that Watchmen should have been an HBO miniseries instead of a movie. I can see this working.

He's still working on it, so nothing official yet. Maybe fall 2010. I'll believe it when I see it.

Martin has recently said that his hoped-for completion date for ADWD to late September/early October 2009. If he manages this, the book will be released in February 2010 in the UK and shortly afterwards in the USA.

But I doubt he actually manages it, he's been saying things like that for years.

Plus he's 61 in september and there's two more books planned, so I'm not sure how good the odds of the book series being finished actually are. Although maybe there could be a posthumous conclusion similar to Brandon Sanderson finishing the final book (now three novels, A Gathering Storm, Shifting Winds and Tarmon Gai'don, to be published from 2009-2011) of Jordan's Wheel of Time for Tor.

This. I hate Sansa with a passion. I always hate that character. The one who is doing stupid shit that screws the good guys then realizes what an idiot they've been and are filled with self-loathing and regret for the rest of the story. Like Edmund in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It's also such a fantasy cliche.

I've really started to like Jaime Lannister quite a bit.

Jamie, along with Tyrion, Arya and Jon Snow, are the most interesting characters to me. The degree he's (Jamie, that is) redeemed (or not) is one of the most interesting things yet to come.

I see Jamie as possibly becoming probably the most developed, evolved and complex character in the entire series. Of course Martin may kill him in the opening chapter. Predicting what will happen in this story is impossible. That's what makes it soooo great. And the "Red Wedding" was the biggest WTF moment I have ever had while reading a book. I seriously sat there for five minutes saying, out loud, "Wtf just happened?" It was awesome. Needless to say I am stoked about a series, especially on HBO (the only network that I think could actually pull it off) actually coming together. :clap::bravo:

Yeah, the Red Wedding was insane.

Say hello to Catelyn Stark, British actress Jennifer Ehle:

http://img.listal.com/image/324355/1...nifer-ehle.jpg

I wonder who they will get to be Daenerys.

Also, when you imagine what Khal Drogo looks like, do you imagine him being mongolian or middle eastern? (This is a question for everyone)

Dany will probably be played by some little known actress, just like most of the children.

I've pictured Drogo as more Mongolian/Native American with his copper Skin and braided hair.

Yeah, I'd be surprised if there's anybody recognizable cast for any of the remaining roles.

Maybe for Cersei or Jaime, but that's pretty much it.

Bran, or at least in the last book i liked Bran's the best. I like those chapters because of Rickon.

Stannis always has something interesting going on. Stannis and Melisandre together always make me think of Al and Peg Bundy. Take a look at the cover art for Clash of Kings if you want to see what Im talkin about.

Damn you. I will never be able to unsee that image.

GRRM may have done that on purpose. I read on his website that 3 knights (forget the names ATM) are patterned after the 3 stooges.

I had never heard of the books, I went ahead and bought the first one yesterday at my local used books store. It sounds intriguing.

More casting news:

Lena Headey (Sarah Connor) is Cersei.

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....ones-hbo-.html

That's unexpected. They're going to have to do some serious work on her hair.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JjTZojojDP...orymccann2.jpg

Rory McCann as "The Hound" Sandor Clegane.

You might remember him as that big "yarb" guy from Hot Fuzz.

Now the trouble of finding someone bigger than him to play the mountain that rides.

Thomas McCarthy to direct the pilot

Tamzin Merchant (Catherine Howard in the Tudors) as Dany

Casting is near complete with Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo

Here is a list of pictures and names for everyone so far.
http://www.liftingfaces.com/2009/09/...s-cast-so-far/

Honestly, the only one I have a problem with is Mark Addy. I have a hard time imagining him as the warhammer wielding King of Westeros. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

He's not playing the warrior Robert, he's playing the fat drunkard king who is a shadow of his former self. Robert isn't supposed to come off as some fierce warrior king.

In my head movies he was still a big guy. I don't know, I just seem to remember him as short in everything I've seen him in. Knights Tale, Still Standing...

That's interesting, he was a regular on the last few seasons of Stargate: Atlantis, as I recall.

Joffrey doesn't look right to me, that kid isn't regal enough.

WTF is taking so long?

It's been filmed. Word whether or not HBO picks it up is due in March last I heard.

http://winter-is-coming.blogspot.com/

This is the best place to get news about it that I've found. They've been spot on from guessing the actors since the beginning.

So I've been excited since I heard about this, but I never read the book. I just know about it, and know some people who played the game.

I'm thinking about picking it up and reading it.

I was just excited that HBO was doing a Fantasy show because I'm pretty much a fan of anything HBO does.

This. I'm a fantasy geek, and HBO series are usually excellent quality. Looking forward to it.

It's about as perfect a marriage of material and network as you could get. It's a violent, sometimes sexually-charged, dark and unforgiving fantasy series that I don't think anybody but a cable network like HBO could justifiably do.

It should really be something to see.

If you haven't read the series and aren't reading anything currently. Do yourself a favor and stop by your library. Just be sure to clear some time to read because its a legit 3000+ pages

Another series you should look out for is Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy. Really, really good series. There's a fourth book set in the same world called The Blade Itself that I'm reading as soon as it gets here. Guy's really talented and came out of nowhere a couple years ago.

Very cool
Did not know they were making this into a movie series.

I wonder how they will handle some of the sex parts (for those who have read it, you know what parts im talking about..>Cersei and KingSlayer)

Hopefully, it follows the books pretty close.

I don't think it will be a problem. I think they will have a harder time skirting the issue of Khal Drogo and a 14 year old Dany consummating...

Starting to look pretty good...

just looking at the cast so far... The female roles are cast near perfectly. I don't recognize most of the male cast. 1/2 of them don't look the part at all. Sandor, Eddard, and Tyrion are the obvious exceptions.

Still, this sounds like a winner so far and I've never been so eager to see a book series converted to small screen.

It's going to series!

Looks like it should hit the airwaves about a year from now.

Hot damn! Hopefully the episode will leak online before a whole year goes by :D

By the by, GRRM is nearing completion of the next book, that would be awesome to get the book and the series around the same time.

Oh and he has a new Dunc and Egg short story coming out on March 16th in the Warriors anthology.

Wasn't he nearing completion in late 2006?

Sucks that it as a year out but great news.

Considering he fudged his own timeline and tore up 1000 manuscript pages and started over (per his blog). He sounds like he is nearing completion. After that it would be at least months worth of editing and another 4-6 months once finalized to print.

I don't think he will ever finish the series, but I'm willing to bet we see Dance before 2012.

Great to hear it is getting somewhere near finishing it. I realize authors are not someone you can stick in a room an tell them to write something good but as a fan this is taking a while. Wonder how bad it was for fans of Frank Herbert awaiting more Dune novels?

First promotional image:

http://winter-is-coming.net/wp-conte...i-681x1024.jpg
Snow drifts across the bodies of the fallen dead. Eight corpses lie frozen on the ground– men, women, and children, wearing heavy furs. The wind whips through their long hair.

At the edge of the clearing, WILL (20), a young ranger dressed all in black, surveys the grim scene from the back of his gelding. He gathers his reins and guides his horse south.

credit= http://winter-is-coming.net/

:)

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6MophfvUlfI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6MophfvUlfI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

22 seconds is not enough :(

I was hoping to see Tyrion

I need to hurry up and read this shit. The trailer was great. Is that first promo pick from the foreword of the book?

Yes

I wonder how close it will be to the books.

I need to re-read the series again before I see this.

Hmm. I'd never heard of these books. Looks like I have something to dive into once I finish the Codex Alera series.

Do yourself a favor and wait until Martin finishes the series. You will rush through the first 3, struggle through the fourth, and then be stuck like the rest of have been for however many years waiting for the guy to get to book 5.

Yeah, I started reading them last year and this is exactly what I encountered. The 4th book wasn't as good as the other three, which was a bit disappointing because the first three kept getting progressively better and better (the last third of the 3rd was absolutely phenomenal). I'm really hoping the next book will flesh out the 4th a bit.

Assuming he ever gets off his !$# and releases the 5th book.

The only real problem with the fourth book is that his cast of characters has grown so large that several of them were neglected (he cut entire sections and put them in Dance With Dragons, which will probably have the same issue). Other than that, it's fine.

I've read Codex Alera, and it's pretty good for light fantasy fare, but I think you'll find that Martin's work blows it out of the water.

Just realize that this Ice and Fire is the very essence of dark fantasy: there's very little magic to be seen, a ton of politics, and a lot of unsavory characters doing very unsavory things. It's wonderful stuff.

But god knows when (and if) it will end.

Oh yeah, it's still excellent stuff. Storm of Swords just ended on such a high note that I was expecting Feast For Crows to continue that momentum. I read them back-to-back, so maybe that had something to do with it. I do remember him saying in the afterword that Dance with Dragons will cover the same time span as Feast For Crows, but from the perspective of other characters. That's why I'm hoping DWD will help round it out.

Any recommendations of other, similar 'dark fantasy'? I know Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms aren't dark fantasy, but they're about the only other fantasy books that I've read (besides Tolkien). I'd like to read some more fantasy, but I'm afraid that most anything else will feel lame and cheesy when compared to Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.

You might like Glen Cook's Black Company series. The Thieves World series is also very dark and gritty.

I read Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy around Christmas, and thought it was really great. The books are, err, The Blade Itself, Before they are Hanged and Last Argument of Kings. There's a fourth book set in the universe entitled Best Served Cold, which was good, but not quite as good as the trilogy IMO.

I've recently begun reading the Prince of Nothing trilogy by R. Scott Bakker. The first book in that series is called The Darkness that Comes Before. It's fairly dense, but interesting so far.

These are both recent series, Bakker's books coming out from '04-'06 and Abercrombies' from '06-'08 ('09 for the 4th, and I think a fifth this year or next).

Yeah, that series is good stuff.