HBO GREENLIGHTS THE SERIES:
A GAME OF THRONES
By Emad Akhtar, Voyager intern
If you haven’t heard already, check out the latest news on the filming of George RR Martin’s magnificent fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8548527.stm
After filming the pilot in late 2009, HBO has just given the green light to an entire television series based on the first book, A Game of Thrones.
Including the pilot, the series will be ten episodes long, and if it’s successful, George’s other novels — A Clash of Kings, A Feast For Crows, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance With Dragons (no, it’s not out yet) – will each be turned into a series.
The project is understandably becoming one of the most anticipated fantasy television series of all time. Filming of the series is set to start in Northern Ireland in June this year and hit US screens in Spring 2011.
The series’ creators are David Benioff and Dan Weiss. Apparently, George R. R. Martin has filmed a small cameo appearance in the pilot episode – will we spot him? Hmm… we feel a competition coming on… But the author will also serve as a consulting producer and plans to script one episode per season. But rest assured, George will generally take a hands-off role to focus on finishing the final novels in A Song of Ice and Fire.
So, can we expect the same grittiness, grand scale and visually rich texture of Martin’s novels, to be translated on-screen? HBO backing promises no content restrictions, big budgets, excellent production and a first-rate cast, featuring Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark. Much of the series will be filmed on location in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Morocco. We are excited.
And the series is in good company, as it will be overseen by the same network responsible for Rome, The Sopranos and The Wire. Word is that now they will move on to additional casting, set-building and pre-production before the filming starts in June. And after that we’ll all be enjoying it sometime next year…
Winter is coming… and for once we cannot wait!
