George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Fire and Ice"

[Guest Starks]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111795753...mp;cs=1&p=0

 

HBO turns 'Fire' into fantasy series

Cabler acquires rights to Martin's 'Ice'

 

HBO has acquired the rights to turn George R.R. Martin's bestselling fantasy series "A Song of Fire and Ice" into a dramatic series to be written and exec produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

 

"Fire" is the first TV project for Benioff ("Troy") and Weiss ("Halo") and will shoot in Europe or New Zealand. Benioff and Weiss will write every episode of each season together save one, which the author (a former TV writer) will script.

 

The series will begin with the 1996 first book, "A Game of Thrones," and the intention is for each novel (they average 1,000 pages each) to fuel a season's worth of episodes. Martin has nearly finished the fifth installment, but won't complete the seven-book cycle until 2011.

 

The author will co-exec produce the series along with Management 360's Guymon Casady and Created By's Vince Gerardis.

 

Martin's series has drawn comparisons to J.R.R. Tolkien, because both are period epics set in imagined lands. But Martin has eschewed Tolkien's good-vs.-evil theme in favor of flawed characters from seven noble families.

 

The book has a decidedly adult bent, with sex and violence comparable to series like "Rome" and "Deadwood."

 

"They tried for 50 years to make 'Lord of the Rings' as one movie before Peter Jackson found success making three," Martin said. "My books are bigger and more complicated, and would require 18 movies. Otherwise, you'd have to choose one or two characters."

 

Aside from writing the most recent draft of "Halo," Weiss recently adapted the William Gibson novel "Pattern Recognition" for WB and director Peter Weir.

 

2008/2009 is going to be a magnificent time for fans of genre TV. HBO is currently developing:

 

- "A Song of Fire and Ice"

 

- "Preacher" - The classic Garth Ennis Graphic Novel

 

- "True Blood" - based on the "Southern Vampire Mysteries" series of books and adapted for TV by "American Beauty" & "Six Feet Under" creator Alan Ball. It's about Vampires exposing themselves to the world after synthetic blood is created.

 

as well as

 

- "The Pacific War" - Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg producing a 10 part sequel to "Band of Brothers" set in the pacific theater.

 

- "John from Cincinnati" - A new show by Deadwood creator David Milch that has been described as a Surf-Noir series.

 

- A collaboration between HBO and the BBC to create a series about the crusades.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

Should be good. I imagine the tone will be very similar to HBO's Rome.

[Ginger Snaps 0]

I'm very excited about this. The book series is very, very good, so hopefully the TV series will be the same. I'm glad they're making this as a TV show, the books wouldn't translate well into movies without too much being cut out.

[Youth N Asia 0]

I don't know anything about this series, but I know to trust HBO when it comes to TV. Looking very forward to Preacher and the Pacific War

[Guest CWMwasmurdered]

Sounds interesting. I really enjoy the series, Feast For Crows was a disappointing book though.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Man that will be awesome if done correctly. The only problem is that it's going to be hard getting people invested in characters JUST enough to make it important when they are inevitably slaughtered in some gruesome fashion. At the rate he's going, Martin's going to have one character running around King's Landing and another couple sitting on top of the Wall.

[Starks 0]

http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/11/hbo-orders-fant.html

 

 

November 11, 2008

HBO orders fantasy pilot 'Thrones'

 

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

 

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.

 

 

Even if ASoIaF isn't picked up for a full season, I can't wait to view the pilot to see how Westeros is brought to life.

 

And at a season per book it will give George RR Martin further incentive to keep to his release dates. Assuming this starts filming next year, the sixth book would be filmed in 2014 and the final book would have to be released by 2015.

 

 

Anyone want to suggest a spoiler policy for this thread - what should be considered a spoiler?

 

 

Casting suggestions?

 

I'll kick things off by suggesting Peter Dinklage (Elf, Threshold, Nip/Tuck) to play Tyrion.

 

How would you cast The Mountain and The Hound? Cast actual actors and use special effect wizardry or go the pro-wrestler/body-builder route?

 

And how the hell are they going to approach Daenery's storyline in the first book? Make her character a few years older? As risqué as HBO is I don't know if they would have the balls to film it as written.

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH! 0]

Hey remember back when HBO showed stuff like The Sopranos and Deadwood and The Wire? That was pretty cool. They should try something like that again some day.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Yeah just have Dany be 18 and make it so the Targeryans (or however it's spelled) marry, like, cousins or something. Brothers and sisters marrying is a bit too creepy. Then again, this is HBO we're talking about. They tend to be pretty flexible with their broadcasting.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

They can have her 16 or so, and just leave out the Khal Drogo sex scene. I mean, there's no way they'd show that whole scene anyways, even with her being 18. Giant Ghengis Khan not quite but almost raping a tiny white girl isn't really tv material.