Come On Hbo !!

[chopper]

please, don't sit on the fence......

i tried. i borrowed em from the library. the plots blurred into one horrendous, amorphous blob of wretchedness.

i certainly wouldn't recommend em to someone who wants to explore fantasy writing

[Werthead]

Just to put up a bit of an update:

Now the Writer's Strike is over, HBO can make a decision about the ASoIaF TV series. Obviously, they still have the option for some time and may decide to sit on it for a while whilst they see what's going on with the Arthur project. An interesting revelation made last year is that this project was Weiss and Benioff's baby. They went to HBO, got them really excited about and got them to stump up for the rights. Something I didn't know is that if HBO do let the option expire, then Benioff and Weiss are apparently keen to take it to another studio (although to be honest, only Showtime I think are in HBO's league to do this project justice).

Irritatingly, there's no way of knowing when there will be movement on this. Could be tomorrow, could be six months from now.

[Boaz]

Originally Posted by Werthead

Irritatingly, there's no way of knowing when there will be movement on this. Could be tomorrow, could be six months from now.

Sounds like my grandfather after Metamucil... there's no way of knowing when there will be movement... could be tomorrow, could be any second.

[voyagerbooks]

Let's hope - if they did it well, it would be amazing!

[Werthead]

Some interesting developments:

NBC have agreed to cooperate with the BBC on the creation of their new Merlin TV series. Whether this has a bearing on the HBO decision or not remains to be seen.

The head of HBO Drama has apparently left and been replaced by the guy who got the BBC involved with Rome. Again, this could have a major bearing on the decision, but exactly what remains to be seen.

[Werthead]

David Benioff states here that the adaption of A Song of Ice and Fire is the project he is pushing forwards next. Whilst HBO were considering it, he was working on the Wolverine movie. With that in pre-production, it sounds like he is now keen to crack on with the ASoIaF TV series. Exactly what that means - if he's simply going to be on the phone to HBO saying, "What gives?" or even actively shopping it around to other studios for when HBO's option expires later this year - remains to be seen.

[Werthead]

Benioff again reiterates that his next project is ASoIaF for HBO. When pressed for a soundbite description of it, he came up with:

"The Sopranos in Middle-earth."

Sounds about right to me.

[PhillB]

Originally Posted by Werthead

"The Sopranos in Middle-earth."

I like that quote lol.

[Boaz]

If the Sopranos were in Middle-earth, Robbie "The Hammer" Baratheone would not die in season one. Fuhgedaboutit. He'd freakin' whack Tywin for not dishing over his percentage of earnings.

Actually Stannis' sessions with Melissandre are probably the closest to the Tony and Dr. Melfi relationship.

All comparisons break down after a while. Too many characters on The Sopranos are too reactive and not proactive. I think Martin has more proactive characters... i.e. Littlefinger, Tywin, Tyrion, Jeor, and Oberyn are just a few. Some of Martin's characters are in the process of switching from reaction to proaction... Arya, Jaime, Jon, and Sandor.

[JDP]

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a Targaryen.

[Lady of Winterfell]

Whoops! Posted in the wrong thread.

I've never actually seen The Sopranos, but I would guess the description fits alright.

[Werthead]

Totally. Sweet.

HBO and the BBC have agreed to co-produce A Song of Ice and Fire. If it gets greenlit. It's not a 100% done deal and they are both still mulling over the second draft of the pilot script, but it's certainly a step in the right direction. Last time the BBC and HBO decided to buddy up on a project, the result was the totally awesome Rome.

[Tysha]

Oh! Great news!
I was very sceptical about making ASOIAF to a series (thinking of Xena,Hercules and etc) but Rome showed that it actually can be very qualitative and exciting! (Even when they are replacing your favorite character actor lol)
*Crossed fingers*

[Boaz]

Wert, thanks again for being on top of all news that pertains to GRRM.

I was stunned to read that fans send their resumes and audition tapes directly to GRRM.

I want to bring something up, but I don't want to be an alarmist or taken in a negative light here.

How do you guys think the series, once put into production, will affect GRRM's writing of the last two books? If each book equals one season, then the first five books will take five years to produce. If the first season is in 2009, then HBO/BBC need book six by 2005 and book seven by 2006. This means that Martin has eight years to finish ASOIAF... four years per book. Four years each is right on par for GRRM. I think he'd nail that schedule.

I'm looking forward to a television series, but I'd hate for GRRM to feel pressured in finishing the last book. It would be terrible for time constraints to dictate the ending of this story.