HBO Greenlights Game Of Thrones Fantasy Series

[Greg Tito]

HBO Greenlights Game Of Thrones Fantasy Series

Nerdgasm Alert: HBO has ordered 10 episodes of the fantasy television series based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire [http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553381687/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279056576&sr=1-1].

Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is probably my favorite series of fantasy books that doesn't have Ring or Wheel in the title. The gritty low-magic setting throws the reader so many loops and plot twists that it forces you to race to the end of the book. Martin is a former TV writer (Beauty and the Beast) and his skill at crafting cliffhangers translates easily to the network that brought us The Sopranos and The Wire. HBO ordered a pilot to be made last year and filming took place in Europe and Africa after assembling a crack cast with the likes of Sean Bean (LOTR) and Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent). Based on the strength of that pilot, HBO has decided to order a full first season of 10 episodes (including the pilot). Filming will begin in Belfast, Ireland this June.

Sean Bean plays Eddard Stark, who is asked to take the position of the Hand of The King for his friend Robert Baratheon. Stark reluctantly takes the job and relocates his family from Winterfell castle in the North to the seat of the Seven Kingdoms, King's Landing. The Stark family, from dutiful wife Catelyn and impetuous Robb to tomboy Arya and princess Sansa, are noble islands in a sea of intrigue which includes the king's wife, Cersei Lannister and her brothers, the great knight Jaime and the dwarf Tyrion (played by the Dink). There's a whole slew of subplots involving dragons and supernatural Others on the other side of an ancient wall, but it's just too huge to explain it all. Suffice to say, it is awesome and thankfully doesn't swing too far on the fantasy spectrum.

The plan is for the first season to encompass the events of the first book in the series, with the finale ending on the same cliffhanger. If that's the case, then you are all in for a great ride.

Winter is Coming!

Source: Hollywood Reporter [http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/03/hbo-greenlights-game-of-thrones-.html]

Permalink

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

Well, this is awesome. I love these books and this just sounds awesome (Sean Bean is a legend, and perfect for the role of Eddard Stark)
I just wonder where they will end the series, whether it will be

Spoiler

before ned gets his head chopped off or after the battle of the whispering wood. Either would make an excellent end point for a tv series

 

[Slycne]

I can't wait. I'm actually a bit of a late comer to the series, having only recently picked up the books, but I tore through A Game of Thrones at an ungodly pace because I was so throughly engrossed.

 

[KarmicToast]

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Even though I stopped reading this series because Martin refuses to freakin' write the next book!

 

[pneuma08]

Winter damn well better be coming after being in the works for so long.

I really don't want to sound ungrateful, but it's hard to keep up my spirits since everything involving Ice and Fire takes too damn long.

How many people want to bet they'll finish making this series before Dance comes out?

 

[Doc Theta Sigma]

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!

Now for the love of god let somebody upload these to the internet. We don't get HBO in the UK D;

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Even though I stopped reading this series because Martin refuses to freakin' write the next book!

I think the date has finally been settled for april this year (after about 7 different date changes. ¬¬ wasn't it originally slated for release 2 years ago?)

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

Yessssssssssssss.

They better not fuck this up, or I'll be gathering an angry mob and handing out torches and pitchforks.

 

[Otterpoet]

Sean Freakin' Bean as Eddard Stark.

I think I just ruptured something.

That is awesomeness on a stick!

 

[Otterpoet]

Winter damn well better be coming after being in the works for so long.

I really don't want to sound ungrateful, but it's hard to keep up my spirits since everything involving Ice and Fire takes too damn long.

How many people want to bet they'll finish making this series before Dance comes out?

Maybe it'll get him to finish the %$^&ing thing

 

[Metal Brother]

YAY!!! This is the most exciting TV entertainment news I have heard in years.

Although to Greg Tito: Did you REALLY compare "Wheel of Time" favorably to "A Song of Ice and Fire?" That's like comparing a super-sized Big Mac extra fatty meal favorably to the tasting menu at The Fat Duck, you know...

 

[Dirty Apple]

There's been quite abit of buzz about this for awhile now. Besides Bean the only other name I had heard attached to it was Lena Headey of 300 and The Sarah Conner Chronicles. My wife and I are both very excited at the prospect.

 

[Lim3]

Maybe he should finish the bloody series before they make a TV show. When did he release his last book? 2002?

Instead he keeps going off on tangents and writing books for other series. I hate it when authors do this. When we, the readers start reading a large series we expect the author to make a commitment to finish it.

At this rate he will go the way of Robert Jordan.

 

[Jared]

Now only if we could awsome things like that in the UK

 

[leighjet]

c'mon..... a dance with dragons needs to hurry up and come out!

 

[Metal Brother]

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Even though I stopped reading this series because Martin refuses to freakin' write the next book!

I think the date has finally been settled for april this year (after about 7 different date changes. ¬¬ wasn't it originally slated for release 2 years ago?)

Sadly, the date has not been settled. Different sites publish different dates, but Martin is still actively writing and until he gives a final manuscript to the publisher, any dates are just guesses...

 

[Zaksav91]

Sean Bean!!!!! woot I can't wait for him to scream "Men of GONDOR!!!" accidentally.

But in all seriousness I hope HBO can pull this off, because it could easily just turn to be crap. I learned that to be true with many fantasy series on channels like that.

 

[quiet_samurai]

Good! Not only will this be a rad series but it was also the reason Martin didn't have time to finish the god damn books, he was so preoccupied. This is good news.

 

[rees263]

Now only if we could awsome things like that in the UK

I remember reading that the BBC is going to be involved somehow, ie it will be broadcast in Britain, and not a ridiculously long time after the US gets it like with most US shows. After all, a significant proportion of the cast are going to be British.

If anyone wants a site for more information there is a great blog I am following that has accumulated all of the known information so far. Just google "Winter is Coming" and it's the first entry. You should be able to find all the current cast and information about the pilot etc.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Even though I stopped reading this series because Martin refuses to freakin' write the next book!

I think the date has finally been settled for april this year (after about 7 different date changes. ¬¬ wasn't it originally slated for release 2 years ago?)

Sadly, the date has not been settled. Different sites publish different dates, but Martin is still actively writing and until he gives a final manuscript to the publisher, any dates are just guesses...

I just checked waterstone, and now they are saying september. I'm now pissed off with george once more. Methinks i shall have to give him a stern talking to.

Edit:and yet the paperback is scheduled for 5 april. I am befuzzled