HBO to make George R.R. Martin' SoI&F into a series...

[Viking Bastard]

From AICN:

HBO is turning George R.R. Martin’s series of “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy novels into a TV series. The plan is to adapt one novel each season, starting with 1996’s “A Game of Thrones.”

Writing the HBO version are Martin himself (who previously wrote on CBS' "Beauty and the Beast") and feature writers David Benioff (“The 25th Hour,” “Troy”) and D.B. Weiss (who authored a screenplay for the proposed “Halo” movie).

These are apparently very long and violent grown-up fantasy novels, with thousands of characters – the major ones quite flawed and complex - and lots of sex, violence and political intrigue.

Learn more of what HBO is up to here .

GASP! GASP! GASP!

(Megagasp.)

 

[Umbran]

Um, the novel series isn't finished yet, and won't be any time in the near future - he's putting them out at less than one a year now. So, if HBO does this, their TV series will go for a few seasons, and then hang there...

 

[Klaus]

Between shooting and airing, I don't see A Game of Thrones (the first season of ASoI&F) airing before 2008. If they do yearly seasons, they'll have A Clash of Kings in 2009, A Storm of Swords in 2010 and A Feast For Crows in 2011. A Dance of Dragons is almost done, and should be released next year, with the TV version airing in 2012. That gives GRRM 2008-2010 to finish the remaining two books, which is quite a good time. If he does, the TV versions could air in 2013 and 2014.

Crap! 2014!!! That's science-fiction time!

 

[WayneLigon]

Um, the novel series isn't finished yet, and won't be any time in the near future - he's putting them out at less than one a year now. So, if HBO does this, their TV series will go for a few seasons, and then hang there...

Well, the article says Martin'll be finished in 2011 (I doubt that a great deal) but that still leaves...

A Game of Thrones (2008)
A Clash of Kings (2009)
A Storm of Swords (2010)
A Feast for Crows (2011)
Whatever (2012)
Whatever (2013)

So, they have some wiggle room in there.

They just got the rights to it, so I doubt they'll be able to mount a production until 2008 at least.

 

[horacethegrey]

Hmm... it seems my prediction that Martin's epic would make it to HBO is coming true.

This is great news. Hopefully it'll live up to the high production values and quality that were established by previous HBO series such as Rome, Deadwood and The Sopranos. A Song of Ice and Fire is brutal, yes. But I'm pretty sure HBO can handle it.

But, it still brings the question that was brought up in the thread I started back then:

Will they cast actual children in the series? :\

 

[D.Shaffer]

Considering how much stuff goes on in the book, I'm sure they have a little bit of time before they need to start worrying about the last big of the series. They could spend an entire season on just the first book, and still have things left out.

 

[FCWesel]

HBO to do GRRMartin Fire and Ice series

Interesting...

Finally someone seems to be planning an idea I've had floating around in my head for a while - take a popular series of novels utilising the same characters and turn each book into a season's worth of shows.

HBO is trying that with plans to turn George R.R. Martin's bestselling fantasy series "A Song of Fire and Ice" into a drama series by David Benioff ("Troy", "Wolverine") and D.B. Weiss ("Halo").

Benioff and Weiss will write every episode of each season together save one, which the author (a former TV writer) will script. Shooting will take place either in Europe or New Zealand.

Variety indicates that the series will begin with the 1996 first book, "A Game of Thrones," and will turn each novel into a season's worth of episodes, Martin has nearly finished the fifth of seven installments.

The books follow the flawed characters from seven noble families and has a decidedly adult bent, with sex and violence comparable to series like "Rome" and "Deadwood".

The whole thing makes one wonder what other book series would be good to adapt in the same or similar formats - maybe Anne Rice's work or Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news07/070117g.php

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Way back in the day, I used to think that a cable network like HBO was the only practical way for the Lord of the Rings to get produced - so this is a very cool development (even though I haven't read the books).

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

... Martin has nearly finished the fifth of seven installments.

Oh dear... And now with GRRM's involvement in this show... Not good news for those of us who'd like to see it end in our lifetimes. Just what he doesn't need, another distraction.

 

[Klaus]

Hmm... it seems my prediction that Martin's epic would make it to HBO is coming true.

This is great news. Hopefully it'll live up to the high production values and quality that were established by previous HBO series such as Rome, Deadwood and The Sopranos. A Song of Ice and Fire is brutal, yes. But I'm pretty sure HBO can handle it.

But, it still brings the question that was brought up in the thread I started back then:

Will they cast actual children in the series? :\

The children are a problem, since the actors will age much faster than the characters.