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Winter Is Coming


HBO Picks Up "A Game of Thrones" / Steven Lloyd Wilson

Trade News | March 3, 2010 | Comments (53)


HBO has announced that they’ve picked up a 10 episode series of “A Game of Thrones.”

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Everyone back from their bunks? So, filming for the pilot wrapped back in November, shooting for three weeks in three countries, and production on the other nine episodes has now been scheduled to start this coming June. The first episodes are slated to begin airing in the spring of 2011. HBO has been fairly tight about any publicity, having released only the screencap below from the first scene of the pilot.

Game_of_Thrones_HBO-thumb-550x826-34922.jpg

Here’s the full cast listing:

Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon
Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
Sean Bean as Eddard Stark
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jamie Lannister
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn Stark
Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon
Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont
Kit Harrington as Jon Snow
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister
Harry Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen
Richard Madden as Rob Stark
Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane
Tamzin Merchant as Daenerys Targaryen
Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark
Ron Donachie as Ser Rodrik Cassel
Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo
Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin


But the only real analysis is that I love this news so much I want to have sex with it.

(source: SciFi Wire)


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Comments

That's a long cast list.

Valar dohaeris...All Men Must Serve...in this movie.

Posted by: Stoat(Cat) at March 3, 2010 9:07 AM

The ONLY two issues I've had with this casting are, I don't know how good Lena Headey will look as a blonde, and the boy they got to play Robb's gonna have to put on some weight/muscle.

Other then that, I'm pleased as punch!! (George R.R. Martin has posted some pictures of him visiting the locations on his not a blog. Which, also, I hope that HBO can put some added pressure on him to FINISH THE NEXT DAMN BOOK)

Posted by: Rowen at March 3, 2010 9:22 AM

I'm just happy they are smart enough to do it as a mini-series and not a movie! Also, I just finished watching Rome, and I think it would be nice to see Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo in period garb again. And Mark Antony. Anyway those actors could be added to the cast? If it weren't for the fact that Jamie is supposed to be blond, I think James Purefoy (Mark Antony) would definitely work for that role.

Posted by: Jen K at March 3, 2010 9:22 AM

Question: are we allowed to spoiler the show a bit? Because if they "Legend of the Seeker this" I will fucking hunt a motherfucker down and devise unheard of tortures to inflict upon them.

Also, there had better be incestuous and bloody sex or...well...see my comment above.

Posted by: admin at March 3, 2010 9:23 AM

So awesome... stupid 12-month wait...

Posted by: S.K. at March 3, 2010 9:29 AM

admin: you can follow along with developments at http://winter-is-coming.net/... there has been extensive discussion of the pilot script and it seems that the show will be VERY faithful. Not verbatim from the books but simply a version of the story shaped for the screen.

Posted by: S.K. at March 3, 2010 9:31 AM

Admin, HBO does a pretty good job with books. I have a feeling a decent amount of things are gonna be cut/smooshed together, but I felt most of the changes to the Sookie Stackhouse books were ok, and kept the spirit of the show/books intact.

Posted by: Rowen at March 3, 2010 9:32 AM

Jen: At least once a day I hope HBO will pull their head out of their ass and bring Rome back for a proper season 2 (and 3, 4, 5, etc). Especially when you read that the original plan was Brutus dies at the end of season 2, season 3 and 4 was in Egypt, and then season 5 saw the rise of Octavian. When they found out season 2 was it they jammed all the plot lines into those 10 headspinning episodes that aired. Also, Lucius Voreenus lived according to Bruno Heller.

Incidentally, I like to approach many a decision in my daily life with "What Would Attia Do?" It serves me well.

Posted by: TylerDFC at March 3, 2010 9:35 AM

Haven't read the post yet, but FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Commander Strikeher at March 3, 2010 9:39 AM

Hmm ... as long as they don't go the "Spartacus" route and get their costumes from the "Beastmaster" leftover collection.
I'm so sick of quasi-historical/mythological/fantasy equaling the WWF.

Posted by: rajah rabbit at March 3, 2010 9:41 AM

I wonder if this will have a positive effect on him finishing the series. It's taken him ten long years to essentially write half a book (by his own admission) and he still has three more to go. Not sure how involved he'll be in this series but it seems like yet another project on his very full plate.

Posted by: chato at March 3, 2010 9:41 AM

I cannot WAIT for this to be on HBO. That was my dream scenario, that HBO would turn the books into a series and it would be fantastic. Honestly, it's why I haven't dropped the HBOs from my cable bill...just to convince them to do this.

Posted by: Wednesday at March 3, 2010 9:42 AM

I was doing happy dances around the office yesterday when Cindy told me on Facebook.

I don't know if I can make it until next spring. I may literally die of anticipation.

Posted by: Snath at March 3, 2010 9:45 AM

Ahem, 'scuse me for a moment...

SQUUUUEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeee ee e

Fuck yeah. I'm actually considering getting cable just for this. And as pleased as I am about HBO doing the miniseries (really, have they ever made a bad miniseries?) I'm curious how they're going to squeeze the book into 10 episodes. The episodes have to be an hour long, at the very least.

Valar Morghulis

Posted by: Scully at March 3, 2010 9:51 AM

Bean, Dinklage, Lena Headley and Mark Addy are all solid picks but Alfie Allen?

Goddamn nepotism!

Posted by: hh at March 3, 2010 9:53 AM

I am super excited by this news. I never really read anything more than once and I've read the complete series (to date) four times. Well, I have listened to it twice and read it twice.

Here are my initial thoughts on the series:

1) This is HBO. They make the best TV series. There isn't much question there. From Sopranos, to Rome, to Deadwood, to The Wire, they are the best at what they do and what they do is typically awesome. Sure, they have their mis-fires, but based on the source material and the talent/money/power of HBO, you couldn't ask for a better foundation upon which to build a fantasy (or any other kind of) series. As these things go, I couldn't imagine a better situation.

2) The cast is great. Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Sean Bean, just to name the biggest stars... They are perfectly cast and there's a lot of talent there. The rest of the cast, I don't know much about. HBO excels at finding "no name" talent that works. I had never heard of Ray Stevenson or Kevin McKidd before "Rome" or pretty much anyone from "The Wire" before it, and the cast in those shows (as well as "Deadwood" and others) was stunningly good.

3) George RR Martin worked in TV for a long time. He wrote for the Twlight Zone series for that old "Beauty and the Beast" show with Linda Hamilton and Ron Pearlman. So, he understands the business, how scripts work, etc. His involvement will only be a plus.

4) There are a couple of reservations. First, it will be costly. They cancelled "Rome" because it cost too much. I don't see how this series will be cheaper. The action moves from place to place to place pretty quickly and the settings are very, very diverse. It will be hard to make some of these places/castles/keeps, etc. look good on the cheap. Second, the books are very complex and there is a cast of thousands. The beauty is often in the details and the plots within plots. While a 10 episode season allows you to flesh some of this out, you'll never be able to flesh it all out and some minor characters, who very, very cool, will likely be wrote out or multiple characters melded into one. Then there is the whole dragon/dire wolf thing.

These aren't killer points. Things have to be cut and reduced, the source material is just too dense, you just have to worry about cutting too much and, thus, ruining what makes the books truly excel.

If it doesn't work out with "HBO", it wasn't going to work out any other way. So, I am excited by the prospect. If it flops, it flops. It wont, in any way, ruin my joy, love or appreciation of the books and I will know that it was given the best shot it ever could.

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at March 3, 2010 9:54 AM

...but I felt most of the changes to the Sookie Stackhouse books were ok

True Blood? That's your benchmark?

*begins devising tortures*

Posted by: admin at March 3, 2010 9:58 AM

...

Just emerged from my bunk. Still, I feel a tiny pang of bitterness as I applied for a spot to be an extra on the show as advertised on Pajiba last summer - and no answer! Maybe because I'm not based in Ireland but I would've paid good monies to be on that show.

But hey, Game of thrones!!! Finally...

Posted by: Ari at March 3, 2010 10:08 AM

I got as far as

Peter Dinkla-- HEAD EXPLODING SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

This will be epic.

Posted by: Jelinas at March 3, 2010 10:08 AM

*sharpens her knives*

Posted by: Scully at March 3, 2010 10:09 AM

Admin,

I'm a sad sad man who doesn't have cable, except for a brief stint where I watched everything I could last summer.

Posted by: Rowen at March 3, 2010 10:12 AM

1.- penis nailed to eight-foot 2x4 which is then used to build Drew Barrymore's new house

Posted by: admin at March 3, 2010 10:24 AM

I don't know how good Lena Headey will look as a blonde...

Rowen I'm with you on this one. Cersei and Jamie are supposed to be very fair, and so is the heir to the throne, Joffrey, with the King being darker complected (hint hint).

I'm seeing shades of Jessica Alba as Sue Storm here...

Posted by: mswas at March 3, 2010 10:35 AM

Hrm. Other notes.

I think the Starks are well cast. (I think of Catelyn being a different kind of pretty then Jennifer Ehle, but I adore Jennifer Ehle and think that she'll do a great job.)

I hope that they get Mark Addy to work out a bit (Robert's got a gut, but he was once HOT *see: Renly and Gendry*. Normally, I don't like seeing actors change their body shapes for characters, but . . .)

Tamzin Merchant has a GREAT look for young Daenerys. I'm intrigued to see how she, as an actress, deals with the fact that by the end of book one, the character is completely changed and much harder. (Also, I'm wondering if HBO's gonna up Dany's age to get around the whole underage sex/rape thing)

Posted by: Rowen at March 3, 2010 10:42 AM

PLEASE GIVE PETER DINKLAGE A SWORD ROUGHLY THREE TIMES THE SIZE OF HIS ENTIRE BEING. THAT IS ALL.

Posted by: Mikey Likes It at March 3, 2010 10:44 AM

Rowen: I share your concern about Addy. He fits the personality of the character to a T, but one of the most important features of Robert is that he was once able to lead an army into battle with a big-a$$ warhammer, and in such a fashion that nobles and commoners alike flocked to him. I just can't see Addy being believable in that way... I hope I'm wrong.

Posted by: S.K. at March 3, 2010 10:57 AM

While I agree that Mark Addy isn't the perfect physical representation of Robert, I am willing to let stuff like that (and the quality of a dye job for Lena Heady) slip a little bit or at least save complaints/concerns after seeing actual footage.

I'd much rather have an actor who can act and properly convey the character than someone with lesser skills who physically looks more like the character (see, e.g., Tyler Mane vs. Liev Schriber as Sabertooth in the first X-Men and Wolverine movies, respectively). That said, certain physical characteristics like the Lannisters being blonde and fair and Robert's thick, dark hair are necessary and key plot points. I'm sure they'll pull it off.

Now, let's get Patrick Stewart as Tywin!

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at March 3, 2010 11:08 AM

Now, let's get Patrick Stewart as Tywin!

Oholyfuckingjesusijustcame!

Posted by: admin at March 3, 2010 11:16 AM

S.K., Addy almost seems more Thoros of Myr to me.

I'm also intrigued to see what they do with Brienne, later on in the books. I've only seen one artist's representation that I felt wasn't too pretty nor cartoonish.

Posted by: Rowen at March 3, 2010 11:21 AM

I guess I better finally start reading these.

Posted by: DarthCorleone at March 3, 2010 11:27 AM

IwillnotgetexcitedIwillnotgetexcitedIwillnotgetexcitedIWILLNOTGETEXCITED---

*checks underwear*

Too late.

Posted by: Kballs at March 3, 2010 11:28 AM

my gods. i. can't. wait.

Posted by: seth at March 3, 2010 11:42 AM

Great, another distraction to keep GRRM from finishing the series. FINISH THE BOOK, GEORGE!

http://grrrm.livejournal.com/

Posted by: Lindsay at March 3, 2010 11:44 AM

Lindsay at least he's been writing book 5 updates. There was a 2 year period when he refused to say anything about it, so I'm taking these new, tiny updates as a good sign.

Posted by: Scully at March 3, 2010 11:57 AM

His last post says he's up to 1,311 pages of Dance. That's absolutely crazy. No wonder he's not done, he's writing the next Bible.

Posted by: Snath at March 3, 2010 12:02 PM

Not to be sacrilegious, but GRRM lost track of the story sometime during the 3rd book, if not the 2nd. I actually suspect that the HBO version may become my preferred, canonical version if they keep the story tighter.

Lots of fabulous ideas in there, but he needs a stronger editor and more pressure to actually advance the plot. Here's hoping TV provides those things, and it trickles over to the books.

Posted by: ZombieScientist at March 3, 2010 12:18 PM

God, I hope the next book reveals who Jon's mother is. I mean, I think I already know, and it's who most people seem to agree on, but Martin might change it up and surprise us.

Posted by: Snath at March 3, 2010 12:27 PM

Snath sure the mother is important, but it's the father that ties it up so nicely, doesn't it ;)

Posted by: Scully at March 3, 2010 12:39 PM

Of course it does, Scully! Good thing Robert died before everyone knows. His head would have 'asploded.

Posted by: Snath at March 3, 2010 12:43 PM

I am just starting A Storm of Swords at the moment. I received the books as a Christmas present and I just devour them. How do I watch this if I don't have HBO? *places call to husband demanding cable upgrade*

Posted by: Wendy at March 3, 2010 1:56 PM

Psst, Snath.... spoiler alert...

Posted by: S.K. at March 3, 2010 2:03 PM

So, can anyone tell me when the actual fantasy aspect of this fantasy series starts? I'm midway through the third book and all I've seen is a spooky priestess summon a ghost-god, the wolf stuff, and three dragons who actually haven't done anything yet. The series is good, but it seems like it's all setup-setup-setup for something bigger that's going to happen later. The horse and sword stuff isn't really doing it for me. Will I have to slog through two or three more books before any of this pans out?

***SPOILER***

I think with Lena Headey as Cersei, they would have to giver her colored contacts too. Or maybe they just picked a different genetic trait for that particular plot point.

Posted by: Three-nineteen at March 3, 2010 2:29 PM

Will I have to slog through two or three more books before any of this pans out?

If you're mid-way through the third book then you've pretty much already encountered most of the "fantasy" in the books so far. I can't think of anything new or different in terms of "fantasy" that comes in the last half of the third book or the fourth book.

If you consider what you've read a "slog" thus far, mayhaps this series isn't for you.

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at March 3, 2010 2:38 PM

It would be REALLY nice if there actually were two or three more books past Book 3 to slog through at all...

Posted by: S.K. at March 3, 2010 2:42 PM

God I love HBO.

I'm almost through the first book and have skipped all comments in here, don't want to spoil nothing.

Posted by: Mick J at March 3, 2010 3:05 PM

Wow, Jennifer Ehle? That's suprising. Well they had me at Sean Bean, but they'll keep me with Ehle.

Posted by: coveredinbees at March 3, 2010 3:11 PM

This will pretty much be all spoilers, so be warned.

These are the elements that I consider "fantasy."

The Others
The Children of the Forest
The dragons
Wargs
Greensight
Various prophetic dreams and visions
Mirri Maz Duur's blood magic
The Warlocks of Quarth
The giants
Stannis as possibly Azor Ahai (he's totally not)
The whole Beric and Thoros thing
And, of course, Melisandre.

I'm sure there's some I've missed.

So no, it's not Dragonlance/Forgotten Realms/LOTR fantasy, but there are enough elements in the story to make it not just "historical fiction."

Posted by: Snath at March 3, 2010 3:14 PM

Forbiddenout: Yes, I stopped reading the third book around Thanksgiving and haven't picked it back up. I also didn't realize Martin was was only working on book 5 out of 7. Maybe I'll start again once I know the series will be finished.

I will watch the HBO series, though. A little consolidation would definitely help the story IMHO and the talent looks promising.

Posted by: Three-nineteen at March 3, 2010 3:16 PM

I am sooooo going to have to get me some HBO! I just need to know which one it will be on!

Dire wolves! Yay!
It took me a year to actually pick up the first book! Glad I did. But dammit, that dude is taking too long! If GRRM pulls a Robert Jordan on my ass I will be peeved. At the very least.

And Coveredinbees, I'm with you there. I was already in it with Sean Bean, but Jennifer Ehle just made this a whole chocolate cake better!

Posted by: Four Eyes at March 3, 2010 5:29 PM

I AM SO FUCKING HARD FOR THIS. I've been following the news of this series for a while now, and hopefully they'll make it as entertaining and addictive as the books. If they more or less stick to the plot I don't think there will be a problem.

Seriously though, it's a huge boner.

Posted by: danny at March 3, 2010 7:06 PM

I think HBO will do right by GRRM...track record, people, gotta respect it. I also hope Dance w/ Dragons arrives before the pilot airs.

Posted by: stryker1121 at March 3, 2010 7:23 PM

Given that Legend of the Seeker is based on one of the worst series of all time, I'm not sure how comparisons between that and Game of Thrones matter

Posted by: Paul D at March 4, 2010 10:46 AM

maybe with the $$$ he got for this George RR can FINALLY finish book 5 !!!!
i , also , will get HBO just for this - i can't wait , i can't wait , make it happen sooner , make it next week !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: marcia at March 4, 2010 12:16 PM





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