"Song of Ice and Fire" update re: HBO

[keg in kc]

A few people have expressed interest in this in the past, and here's the latest from GRRM himself, as of about a week ago on his not-a-blog:

Ice & Fire on HBO

Jun. 13th, 2008 at 5:25 PM

The latest news on HBO front is that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have turned in the second draft of the pilot script for A GAME OF THRONES, and their rewrite is presently being read and evaluated by the powers-that-be at HBO. In other words, it's the normal process, which is long and often slow. So far, the reports are good, and HBO seems to like what they're seeing... but no, there's no greenlight yet, A GAME OF THRONES remains a script in development, not a series in production.

The one hard bit of news is that HBO has reached agreement with the BBC for them to come in as a partner on the series... IF it goes ahead. That's very cool news, and I'm excited and pleased to have the BBC involved... but even so, we're still in the crossed fingers stage here, not the shooting-off-fireworks stage.

I get emails about the HBO adaptation of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE almost daily, by the way, so let me say a few words about that.

Look, guys and girls, I appreciate all the enthusiasm and interest, but please stop sending me your resumes, your head shots, your audition tapes. We're not hiring anyone as yet. We won't be hiring anyone for some time, most likely. And should that day arrive when the show gets the greenlight and we start looking for a cast and crew, it won't be me doing the hiring and casting. I'll visit the set from time to time, I'm sure (how often may depend on whether we're shooting in Ireland, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Rumania, or wherever), but the final decisions on these matters will be made by HBO, the BBC, the showrunners, and the director. I can't help you. Especially if you're not actually professionally involved in film and television, but are still "desperate to be involved in the show in any capacity, even just standing around in the background." I get a lot of those emails too. Those people who stand around in the background are called "extras," for what it's worth, and I'm not in charge of hiring them either. Again, we thank you for the love, but that's not how television works.

I also get a constant stream of emails asking me for news about the HBO project. Guys, that's why I have a News page on my website, and that's why I post here. When there's some news to share, I share it. Honest. No news is no news. Sometimes long periods pass when nothing is happening, or things are happening behind the scenes that even I am not aware of. Whenever there is a significant development -- like the BBC coming aboard -- I will post it here. I'm not going to try to disseminate it in individual emails to whoever happens to write that day to ask what's new with HBO.

Thanks for your patience. Thanks for your understanding. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Basileus777]

Excellent news. I have been a bit skeptical about the project every coming to fruition, so its nice to see that its still alive. Though I won't get my hopes up.

Oddly enough I just began to reread the series.

[Third Eye]

Thought about posting this, but I didn't want to find the old thread. I have been following his not-a-blog lately. He made a comment awhile back about having a finished copy of Dance in before he leaves for Europe in a couple weeks. Hasn't happened yet.

I am a little doubtful that we will see this HBO project come to fruition. Maybe the run-up to the next book will spark enough interest to really get it going.

[keg in kc]

More news! Sort of.

News from HBO

Sep. 9th, 2008 at 6:05 PM

I have some exciting news to share.

(But please, guys and gals, don't get TOO excited. This is what it is, and so far that's all it is, so don't make any assumptions).

HBO has just exercised its option, and purchased the television rights to A GAME OF THRONES.

For those of you who don't know Hollywood, an option gives a production company the right to buy a property (a book, a screenplay, whatever) at a certain agreed-upon price for a certain period of time (a year, six months, whatever). When that time runs out, they can let the option lapse, renew the option, or exercise the option and buy the property. The last is what HBO has just done.

What they have NOT done is greenlight the project. A GAME OF THRONES remains in development. They're still budgeting, still looking at locations (Spain and the Czech Republic at present, I hear). No decision has been reached, so any celebration would be premature. In Hollywood it is always best not to assume something is going to happen until it actually happens.

Even so... this is a very encouraging sign, and one that suggests a continued high level of enthusiasm and commitment for A GAME OF THRONES at HBO.

[chagrin]

Who is GRRM and what is this show about?

[unlurking]

George R.R. Martin

A fantasy novel series called "A Song of Ice & Fire". Good read.

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/

[TrickyNicky]

A Song of Ice and Fire is simply the best Fantasy series I've ever read. It is a new classic that isn't bogged down with all the cliches of Tolkien-esque high fantasy.

[EyePod]

I wish he'd just finish Dance instead of worrying about this crap. I need some new POV's (or at least the new storyline through the regular ones).

[Braincase]

I had a friend who really liked that series, I've bought all the books but never started them. You guys have inspired me to put down the Brad Thor I just started and dive into Game of Thrones.

[Shag]

Awesome - thanks for the update. I hope this makes it to the screen, and they do it right...