HBO's [i]Game of Thrones[/i]: Debut likely in March/April 2011

[Steel_Wind]

An update on HBO's Game of Thrones. Reports of a series pick-up seem all but assured, with the chief of programming at HBO glowing in his praise of the pilot, calling the dailies shot so far "fantastic". The Hollywood Reporter has this to say:

HBO programming chief Michael Lombardo says the dailies for highly anticipated fantasy series "Game of Thrones" look "fantastic" and the project looks very strong for a series pickup.

"Everything looks fantastic," said Lombardo, who's become a fan of the George R.R. Martin books upon which the project is based. "The director got great performances. Unlike a lot of projects like this, everything was shot on location. It has such a rich texture that it looks more expensive than it actually was."

The network spent $5 million-$10 million on the pilot to bring castle Winterfell to life. Lombardo says executives are "sitting on pins and needles" waiting for a rough cut in two weeks.

"The fantasy is so incidental, it has a very adult tone," Lombardo said. "You forget it's fantasy while you're watching it, and that's what I love about it."

The pilot will employ some CGI, for backgrounds, the story's "direwolves" (a mixture of real animals and CGI) and dragon eggs.

Also, like in the books, each family in the story will have its own color pallet for clothing and armor.

If all goes well, Lombardo said, "Game of Thrones" will be on HBO in spring 2011 -- "March or April."

"I would be surprised if it doesn't [get greenlit]," Lombardo said. "It has everything going for it."

 

[Felon]

It has everything going for it....except, you know, an ending.

 

[Blastin]

Fingers and toes crossed. I guess I'll have to sign up for HBO now....

 

[Blastin]

It has everything going for it....except, you know, an ending.

LOL....true...but will it even stay completely true to the books or go slightly off on its own like other tv-from-book shows?

 

[Pig Champion]

LOL....true...but will it even stay completely true to the books or go slightly off on its own like other tv-from-book shows?

I'd like both...to an extent. Arya Stark getting killed off in the first season, win-win situation!

 

[Steel_Wind]

I'd like both...to an extent. Arya Sansa Stark getting killed off in the first season, win-win situation!

Fixed that for you

 

[Blastin]

awww. I like the Stark girls. Though I wouldn't mind if they gave Sansa a wisdom score above -2....

 

[Steel_Wind]

awww. I like the Stark girls. Though I wouldn't mind if they gave Sansa a wisdom score above -2....

Sansa is the anti-heroine in the first book - but she comes along after the "Big Surprise" outside Balon's Sept.

Arya pretty much rocks throughout. Her story is relentlessly depressing though, especially throughout Clash of Kings.

 

[Blastin]

Agreed that she does come along, but it usually took the equivalent of a brick to the head to get her to progress.
And I'm a big Arya fan. I guess that both sisters are very resilient, each in their own way. It's just that Sansa seems to come through everything so well, especially at the beginning, because she has no clue what's really going on. She does get much better later on. Will be interesting (in about 10 years or so from now when the sixth book comes out) to see how she handles Littlefinger.

 

[Pig Champion]

The reason I hate Arya so much is that she's the female version of Jeoffry by the end. She just kills whoever she deems as bad or that has wronged her but we're expect her to be doing the right thing because she's a Stark. The least she could do is be honest with who she's become like Sandor. He's a bastard but at least he's honest.

I'm sorry Arya, I see through you, you homicidal psychopath!