HBO Acquires A Song of Fire and Ice

[Oeryn]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=18457

Didn't see this anywhere else... One season per book seems a little ambitious, but I'd watch it.

What do y'all think?

[Tormsskull]

Sounds awesome. I will definitely get HBO when this comes out.

[The Prince of Cats]

Ooh... Talk about mixed feelings...

I don't tend to believe that many people can make a good job of a book, and I love Song of Ice and Fire. On the other hand, a series can often turn out better than a film.

But they will probably have American accents and that really won't work for me.

I will wait and see...

[WampaX]

Ooh... Talk about mixed feelings...

I don't tend to believe that many people can make a good job of a book, and I love Song of Ice and Fire. On the other hand, a series can often turn out better than a film.

But they will probably have American accents and that really won't work for me.

I will wait and see...

Most likely, they will have British accents. Or, knowing HBO, they will have mixed accents depending on their region. HBO tends to do really good jobs on series.

[The Prince of Cats]

In that case, I am much happier with the idea and sincerely looking forward to it. Just a shame all my friends and family in England will have to wait for it to come out on DVD.

[Oeryn]

I'm really hopin' they knock this one out of the park. The only HBO series I've ever seen has been Carnivale, and I was seriously impressed by that. Upset that they cancelled it, of course, but hopefully Martin's got enough readers to translate into good ratings.

[Mistborn]

WOW. I'm very impressed. A movie would never do this series justice. But HBO--their work is excellent, and a perfect match for GRRM. My hat is off to the agent who got this deal.

[purple gelatinous cube o' Doom]

I probably won't get HBO just for this. If it turns out to be good, I'll probably go buy it when it comes out on DVD. My only issue with HBO doing it is that they may make it out more like Rome, which probably would hurt it more than help. But with Martin helping write the scripts should help a lot. Although seeing that it's going to be done by someone who's never done a tv project before may be cause for concern.

[Flabbicus]

They didn't even get the name right, sheesh... (kidding)



I'll wait to buy the seasons on DVD or something. HBO has some good stuff that I like and some stuff which I don't.

[Matthew]

HBO put out some good stuff, but it can be hit and miss. There is every hope that this will be good, though.

[Alarra]

I just saw a link to this and of course there's already a topic devoted to it, you guys are on top of things. =D

This means I'm going to have to get HBO doesn't it? sigh.

But I'm excited to see how they do it.

[WampaX]

HBO put out some good stuff, but it can be hit and miss. There is every hope that this will be good, though.

Lets see . . .
Sex, violence, intrigue, colorful language . . .
Tough to find an HBO series with all those elements that wasn't good or hasn't won some kind of award.

[TinSoldier]

I don't have HBO (and I don't plan on getting it) and I'm not very familiar with HBO series. However I'll be watching for reviews of this when it comes out so I can decide whether to watch it on DVD or not.

[Matthew]

Lets see . . .
Sex, violence, intrigue, colorful language . . .
Tough to find an HBO series with all those elements that wasn't good or hasn't won some kind of award.

Well, that's obviously a matter of perspective and personal taste. I thought Band of Brothers, Deadwood and Rome were all great (but not perfect). The Sopranos I also enjoyed for the most part, but in the end it has turned out to be a bit hit and miss for me. On the other hand, HBO are also responsible for Sex and the City and Six Feet Under (which I thought were very boring). So, you can see, I have mixed feelings about their productions.

To be quite honest, though, I was thinking of Hallmark at first...

[EmeraldRose]

I CAN'T WAIT!!! A Game of Thrones was the first book my husband ever loaned me when we first met, and he joined our gaming group! We still wait for each installment of the book and try to get our friends into the books! I hope this turns out well! I can't wait until my husband gets home so I can tell him about this! :smallbiggrin:

*dances*

[Don Beegles]

Yeah, I agree with PGCoD. I won't get HBO just for this, especially since I can't buy channels with no money; I'll wait for it to come out on DvD and cherish like I do Firefly and 24.

[The Prince of Cats]

If you have not read the books, this is probably best unread.
Given his penchant for killing the main characters, I feel sorry for the actors. Even if you get a main part, you could end up dead within three episodes. And if the series follows the books, you may find yourself sitting out a series or two while he decides to focus on one of the other plot-lines.

[Swamprat]

Look forward to seeing how it goes.. and hope that they are true to the books where possible some of the magnitude of battles will be pretty intense and look forward to how they do some of the castles such as the eeyrie.

[Tormsskull]

But they will probably have American accents and that really won't work for me.


That's hilarious. Are you saying you think that A Song of Ice and Fire is supposed to be set in a particular real-world equivalent area and thus the fictional characters should all speak with a certain accent? Or are you saying you can't stand American 'accents'?

Edit: V: Yeah, I'd say that's enthnocentrism all right. Since GRRM is an American, I would not be surprised at all to see it being produced in America &/or using American actors.

[The Prince of Cats]

The sensible part of my brain recommends not touching that with a 10ft pole, but...

I find that American accents tend to distract from 'period' and fantasy productions. As an Englishman, that may be simple ethnocentism but I am entitled to my opinion and you to yours. In truth, I think it was my training in classical theatre. The average American accent (non-RP, at least) can often come across as rather nasal and so negatively affect the actor's diction.

What is worse is when you get a mixture of accents without any real justification - Ladyhawke and Robin Hood (the "Prince of Thieves" version) are very good examples of such a mistake. In one, you have an English nobleman with a drawl and the other has a Frenchman who talks like an American.

In the end, what is my opinion worth? Judge it as you will...

[ravenkith]

Ooh. Exciting!

I love these books, and I also really like Deadwood, and Rome while soap-operish, does have an authentic 'feel' to it, as far as the imagery, costuming, and sets are concerned.

HBO can do some very good things, with the right material backing it up. Band of Brothers was simply amazing, for instance.

I think the first couple of books should represent no problem as far as conversion to a series is concerned, and the while the question of accents is on my mind, I'd prefer to see a "King Arthur" cast as opposed to a "Friends" one.

We need people who are ugly, gritty and flawed: rugged, with the occasional splash of beauty thrown in. People who can do accents would be great, as I too envision english accents as opposed to american ones when reading my fantasy books.

Clive Owen would be fricking AMAZING as Ned Stark...and since he's gone pretty quick, it might not be that expensive to get him.

Marcia Cross (Desperate housewives) could be fantastic as Mama Stark.

Smallville's coming to an end, supposedly, so Tom Welling could be a good fit for Jon Snow. He might like to do something period, to show his range (he's been stuck in modern/soap opera for 5+ seasons now).

The Lannisters might be harder to cast, but you'd need some physically imposing folks for Jamie & His Dad. I'd like to get Joh Glover for daddy, but I'm not sure he's muscular enough. Verne Troyer could be great: and I hear he's looking for work.

The problem is the mortality rate of the characters: people get attached to characters, and watch shows for the characters they love: when the people they love are dying left and right, it might be hard to lock in an audience over multiple seasons.

[slipnslide]

i think ill check it out. sounds pretty cool and you know hbo does things right.

[WampaX]

The problem is the mortality rate of the characters: people get attached to characters, and watch shows for the characters they love: when the people they love are dying left and right, it might be hard to lock in an audience over multiple seasons.

Yeah, but it frees HBO to drop a little more money on the big guns that get killed. They hook people by drawing them in with a big name star, but get them to come back week after week and watch the good actors that they've found for the other parts around them. When they get killed, the other actors get to step into the limelight, so to speak, and people keep watching because they are no longer watching JUST for the big name star draw, but for characters they have grown to care about.

If they feel that they need to go that route . . .

[ravenkith]

Ok, so I think for those of us that care about this property, it's a good thing that it ended up in HBOs hands, and not, say the Sci-Fi channel (god help me, I love that channel, but very rarely do they handle mini-series/book conversions well imho).

I think HBO will have the budget and the technical knowhow to make the series a success...the only question being whether or not they'll make it enough of a priority.

So, what about casting? Anybody in particular you are dying to see in a part?

Who the hell are we going to get for Sandor Clegane, given that it needs to be someone well-muscled, and is someone who will eventually become an important character? What about his brother, the Man-Mountain?

I'd say the Big Show, or the Undertaker from WWE, but I'm 60% sure they wouldn't have the acting talent to deliver the dialogue well. (In my head, all I hear is wrestling bits).

We need some pretty well-muscled fellas for this show...not to mention at least two or three haut girlies of various ages...as well as some very evil folk. All of which will be required to don 'period' costuming...

It'd be great to have ol' Mandy Patinkin do a turn as a Syrio, Arya's fencing coach for the series...if he'd agree.

I've kind of always pictured Inigo as the ultimate waterdancer...

Mmm...so many possibilities...the cast of characters is literally huge.

Starks:
Catelyn Stark: Marcia Cross
Ned Stark: Clive Owen
Arya Stark:
Robb Stark:
Sansa Stark:
Bran Stark:

Jon Snow: Tom Welling

Lannisters:
Tywin Lannister: John Glover
Tynian Lannister: Verne Troyer???
Jamie Lannister:
Cersei Lannister:

Others:
Gregor Clegane: The Big Show???
Syrio: Mandy Patinkin

Haven't even scratched the surface yet: quite the undertaking...just to cast the thing!

[Oeryn]

Please, please, please, not Verne Troyer for Tyrion! I think Tyrion just might be my favorite character, and every time I see Verne Troyer (especially in that Geico commercial), I just wanna drop-kick him.

I'd much rather them do something like they did with John Rhys-Davies in LOTR, and shrink someone who's got the chops for the part.

[EmeraldRose]

I agree! I think Verne Troyer would require a *punt* across the room. And he is just too small.

[chuckt9881]

For anyone reading George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy series, here is some fantastic news:

On January 17th, Variety reported that HBO had acquired the rights to turn the novels into a dramatic series to be written and exec. produced by David Benioff ('Troy') and D.B. Weiss ('Halo').

Benioff and Weiss will write every episode of each season save one, which will be written by Martin himself (he used to be a script writer). The intention is that each novel will fuel a season's worth of episodes.

So!

Who do you want to see cast for the major roles?

http://palehorse.serveftp.net/images/tyrion.jpg
Tyrian Lannister: Jon Leguizamo (Spawn/Moulin Rouge)

http://palehorse.serveftp.net/images/jonsnow.jpg
Jon Snow: Jake Richardson (Clerks II)

[Flabbicus]

Is it just me or does Jake Richardson look superemo in that picture? I think there is already a thread about A Song of Ice and Fire being made into a series by HBO somewhere around here.

[thorgrim29]

Do you mean tyrion lannister, as in the horribly ugly dwarf? I dont see pretty boy here as him. I'd like Richard Dean Anderson as Ned Stark or maybe he's too old...., the lady who plays Eowin in LOTR would make a good Lady Stark, they'd need some pretty exeptionnally good looking and just plain good actors that look alike for the Lannister Twins, seeing as they get much more complex as the series progresses, and I'd like to see where they'd get Brienne of Tarth, who is discribed as looking like a horse....

[TinSoldier]

Heh. Danny DeVito as Tyrion. Brienne could be done with make-up. I was just thinking of Nanny McPhee.

[Vix]

I'd prefer not to recognize any of the actors in the series. I know that getting a couple of big names would help to get a fan base but I'd prefer it to be some old guys playing Pycelle or Barriston the Bold that I wouldn't be familiar with.

[Dr._Weird]

Wait a minute. That guy? As Tyrion? Hell no.

On a related note, like my spiffy Ceikatar of a certain bastard?

[chuckt9881]

What's the matter? Didn't anybody see Moulin Rouge? Jon Leguizamo played a very convincing dwarf. Makeup would be used for Tyrion's deformities no matter who was cast, and I think Jon's personality and acting style would fit Tyrion perfectly.

[Vix]

@ Dr. Weird
That's an awesome Ceikatar. :D I'm sooo jealous

[anphorus]

Jon Leguizamo isn't blond enough to play Tyrion, dyed hair just isn't the same. I really want to see where they'll get guys like Hodor or Gregor Clegane, who are near eight feet tall and muscled like bulls, or wether they'll just CG it. I'd like someone reasonably famour to play Rhaegar, ifwe ever see flashbacks of him.

Dr. Weird, aren't direwolves the size of ponies?

[Dr._Weird]

Well, yes, but Ghost is young there. You have to remember that at points, Ghost was only up to Jon's shoulders. Such was the case in the fantastic portrait of Jon by Amoka that I linked to when requesting it.

I would link, but it appears his website is down at the moment.