Game of Thrones is an upcoming television series on HBO based on the best selling A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Game of Thrones is an epic, high fantasy series about the fight for control of Westeros which was inspired by The War of the Roses in medieval Europe. Though it's been labeled as fantasy, Game of Thrones is more about the struggle for power and family dynamics than it is about typical fantasy tropes like magic and elves. As co-producer and writer David Benioff put it: If you have to just pick one word to describe it, its the word power and how it affects those who are pursuing it, and how those who already have it try to retain it, and how those who are caught in the crossfire between the two are mutilated in the process. In addition to complex characters living in a well thought out and developed world, the story boasts plenty of violence, sex, and other adult oriented content.
The series premieres Sunday, April 17th at 9pm on HBO. The 10 episode Season 1 will cover the events of "A Game of Thrones", the first book in the ASoIaF series. HBO is planning to shoot a season for each book in the series. At the moment, GRRM is working on the fifth book in a projected seven book series. The budget for the series was estimated at somewhere around $60 million.
HBO's Press Release on Game of Thrones:
HBO said:
In a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime, trouble is brewing. From the scheming south and the savage eastern lands, to the frozen north and the ancient Wall that protects the realm from the darkness beyond, two powerful families are engaged in a deadly cat-and-mouse game for control of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
As betrayal, lust, intrigue and supernatural forces shake the four corners of the Kingdoms, their bloody struggle for the Iron Throne will have unforeseen and far-reaching consequences.
Summary off of the book from back when it was published:
A Game of Thrones Back Cover Blurb said:
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
Cast: The cast of Season 1 will have at least one hundred named characters. These are the eighteen actors and actresses labeled recurring cast members by HBO listed in alphabetical order. There are a lot of other important characters, but I didn't think it was worth it to include the other 80+ here. If you'd like to dig into who's playing what roles, check out WiC.net's full cast list & photos. Also, HBO have a cast page with pictures and bios of the main players.
Crew: HBO has assembled a considerable amount of talent to put together Game of Thrones. David Benioff (The 25th Hour) and D.B. Weiss (Lucky Wander Boy) head up the writing staff. Other episode writers include Jane Espenson, Bryan Cogman, and George RR Martin. Brian Kirk (Boardwalk Empire) is serving as the series director along with a number of other experienced directors like Timothy Van Patten (The Wire, Rome), Daniel Minahan, and Alan Taylor. Check out WiC's crew page for details on other crew members.
HBO have released an astonishing number of videos relating to the series. This includes trailers, sneak peek scenes, and introductions to the characters. There are a few spoilers within these videos, so watch at your own risk. WiC.net also has a video gallery.
- Sunday, April 17th @ 9PM ET - Series Premiere/Episode 1: Winter Is Coming (65min timeslot, two reruns immediately after)
- Sunday, April 24th @ 9PM ET - Episode 2: The Kingsroad
- Sunday, May 1st @ 9PM ET - Episode 3: Lord Snow
- Sunday, May 8th @ 9PM ET - Episode 4: Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things
- Sunday, May 15th @ 9PM ET - Episode 5: The Wolf and the Lion
HBO summary with spoilers said:
Incensed over news of Daenerys alliance with the Dothraki, Robert orders a preemptive strike on the Targaryens that drives a wedge in his relationship with Ned. A captive Tyrion helps Catelyn, but receives a cold reception at the Eyrie from her sister, John Arryns widow Lysa. Sansa is charmed by the dashing Ser Loras Tyrell, aka the Knight of Flowers. Arya overhears a plot against her father.
- Sunday, May 22nd @ 9PM ET - Episode 6: A Golden Crown
HBO summary with spoilers said:
Reinstated as the Hand, Ned sits for the King while Robert is on a hunt, and issues a decree that could have long-term consequences throughout the Seven Kingdoms. At the Eyrie, Tyrion confesses to his crimes, and demands that Lysa give him a trial by combat. Joffrey apologizes to Sansa; Viserys receives his final payment for Daenerys from Drogo.
Please keep in mind that many viewers haven't read the books and will be new to the ASoIaF series. As such, please spoiler tag any plot points that haven't aired yet on HBO. This includes book spoilers as well as promos and teasers that HBO has released for upcoming episodes. I know it's a hassle to use tags, but some of the spoilers involved with this series are HUGE and there are other places on GAF to discuss ASoIaF on GAF. I've included some links (see below) to other GAF threads for the series as a whole and A Dance with Dragons.
Remember that this show needs to put up some big viewership numbers to stay on the air, and most of the potential audience hasn't read the books before. Let's be respectful towards them, and when in doubt, put it in spoiler tags. If you want to make it even easier for other posters, think about adding labels to what you're spoiler tagging: (e.g. Storm of Swords Spoiler:
Put your SoS spoilers here.
)
Thanks for your help with this - I know that all of the new fans will greatly appreciate your effort.
For the new fans that aren't familiar with the series, your best bets for avoiding spoilers are to 1) read the books beforehand, 2) don't highlight any spoilers in this thread, and 3) avoid the spoiler-heavy ASoIaF threads on GAF that are listed below.
Promo Images:
Here are a few promo images of the recurring cast. Click 'em for the bigger version. Head over to WiC's full gallery for a whole lot more.
Its difficult to single out the most accomplished parts of Thrones. The ambition is immense, the fantasy world exceptionally well-conceived, the writing and acting elevating the entire series beyond contemporaries like The Borgias and Camelot, and the visual appeal continues to surprise with each episode. What we have here is the successful pairing of an acclaimed collection of fantasy books with a television series that illuminates and expands whats on the page. Worth the wait? Absolutely. And even if you have no idea what all the fuss is about, you should get in from the start to absorb Martins fantastical tale.
I'm anxious to watch them again and again, to fall once more under their spell, to get caught up in the deft plotting and lose myself in the staggering and beautifully realized world that the production team has brought to life. This is the type of series that comes around but once in a lifetime, a groundbreaking and absorbing drama that is utterly unlike anything else on television today. Miss this impressive and stirring drama at your own peril.
Although "Mad Men's" Don Draper partially scratched the itch, premium TV has been actively seeking its next Tony Soprano. While Showtime's medieval "The Borgias" directly promoted that analogy, HBO comes much closer with "Game of Thrones," which reaches even farther afield -- to Westeros, a mythical land of seven kingdoms where dragons once lived -- to deliver a mob boss (OK, king) beset by plotting, intrigue and fractious families on all sides. Massive in scope and cinematic in detail, this dense piece of storytelling should resonate beyond just fans of George R.R. Martin's novels, providing HBO its own formidable seat of power.
I had a hell of a great time watching the first six episodes of Game of Thrones. There were cheers, there were jeers, and there was a sense of anticipation which almost made me forget that I knew what I was anticipating. It is not a perfect show, but the convergence of great television and great source material made for a truly spectacular viewing experience that I think everyone should consider engaging with in two weeks.
The opening episode provides a confident, gripping entry point to what could have been a bewilderingly expansive saga. Game Of Thrones' canvas is enormous and continent spanning, but the superb cast keep the human element of the story front and centre. If Game Of Thrones can continue along at a pace as brisk and exciting as this, then the series has a bright future ahead of it.
My first thought, as I tweeted, was they actually did it. They made A Song of Ice and Fire into a TV series. I was literally smiling throughout much of the episode, because it was so amazing to see the books come to life on screen. Ive waited two and half years for this moment, hoping the show would be as good as I know it could be. And it is!
It is really well done fantasy, unlike anything ever produced for television. It is a quality drama, a rewarding one, and we think those who stick through the dizzying number of characters, plotlines, and locations in the first two episodes will be appropriately hooked. If you want the full depth and complexity of the world, all the nuances and subtleties, theres always the books to turn to.
1) Game of Thrones is an upcoming television show based on George RR Martin's epic, high fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.
2) It premieres on Sunday, April 17th at 9pm on HBO.
3) Watch this trailer.
I am definitely ready for this. Most of the information on the show so far has seemed pretty positive, and it looks like we're going to be getting a good adaptation.
On spoilers: Might be a better idea to specifically mark what you're talking about before a spoiler tag....
For example: (spoiler related to those who have read entire series)
dany is blah blah
.
Incidents happen all the time in show topics with a popular source material where the tone of a conversation is going a certain way and everyone is on the same subject, a spoiler tag is made (which people assume are related to a specific episode or something minor) when its actually something quite stunning for book 4 or 5.
As a rule just be extremely careful as it relates to spoilers.
With that said I just got HBO a couple of days ago and am ready to go. Can't wait!
Really looking forward to this. I hope the additional deadline of one season for one book means that George RR Martin is pressured into finishing the sixth and seventh book of the serie in time. It would really suck if the series has to be put on hold because GRRM needs at least five or six years for one book.
So I am wondering if this will be streamable from any sites? Does HBO have a streaming site? Or should I just spring for paying for adding HBO to my comcast?
Agreed, it's much easier for people if the spoilers are specifically labeled.
AbortedWalrusFetus said:
So I am wondering if this will be streamable from any sites? Does HBO have a streaming site? Or should I just spring for paying for adding HBO to my comcast?
Unfortunately, HBO GO only works if you have an existing HBO subscription. I'd give Comcast a call. Let them know you're subscribing just for Game of Thrones, too.
Can't wait for the series to start. Everything I've seen looks amazing, and I don't think you could ask for a better way for this series to get a live action adaptation.
nice op. i'm cautiously optimistic for the series. big fan of the books, but some of the acting looks incredibly wooden. hopefully it does enough numbers to go at least through a storm of swords though. would be nice if a positive reaction for the show gives martin some motivation to finish up the series. the wait for ADWD is retarded.
This thread will be entertaining as hell. Either the show lives up to the books and everyone loves it, or it doesn't and people go nuts. Amusing either way!
Same the only ones that are close (or close enough) to the ones in my head are Eddard, Jon, Arya, Robb, Sansa, Bran, Jaime and Littlefinger. Jaime looks hotter than Cersei.
