Song of Fire and Ice coming to HBO?

[Skeeter]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117957532.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1&p=0

HBO turns 'Fire' into fantasy series
Cabler acquires rights to Martin's 'Ice'
By MICHAEL FLEMING

George R.R. Martin series
HBO has acquired the rights to turn George R.R. Martin's bestselling fantasy series "A Song of Fire & Ice" into a dramatic series to be written and exec produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

"Fire" is the first TV project for Benioff ("Troy") and Weiss ("Halo") and will shoot in Europe or New Zealand. Benioff and Weiss will write every episode of each season together save one, which the author (a former TV writer) will script.

The series will begin with the 1996 first book, "A Game of Thrones," and the intention is for each novel (they average 1,000 pages each) to fuel a season's worth of episodes. Martin has nearly finished the fifth installment, but won't complete the seven-book cycle until 2011.

The author will co-exec produce the series along with Management 360's Guymon Casady and Created By's Vince Gerardis.

Martin's series has drawn comparisons to J.R.R. Tolkien, because both are period epics set in imagined lands. But Martin has eschewed Tolkien's good-vs.-evil theme in favor of flawed characters from seven noble families.

The book has a decidedly adult bent, with sex and violence comparable to series like "Rome" and "Deadwood."

"They tried for 50 years to make 'Lord of the Rings' as one movie before Peter Jackson found success making three," Martin said. "My books are bigger and more complicated, and would require 18 movies. Otherwise, you'd have to choose one or two characters."

Aside from writing the most recent draft of "Halo," Weiss recently adapted the William Gibson novel "Pattern Recognition" for WB and director Peter Weir.





This is the best news ever.

[StrayRogue]

Excellent books. Whether or not the series will be any good...

Plus I think he should finish the books before any work begins on bringing it to the small/big screen.

[Skeeter]

the books wont be completed till 2011. that's a long ass wait.

[Landrion]

Cool as hell, I will definitely watch that.

[Gan]

That clinches my decision to keep HBO on my subscription list.

[Hips]

I hope Rhaegar Targaryen is in it (in a flashback or whatever) and that he's HOT. And Petyr Baelish... and Jon Snow. <3!

[Artha]

Oh sweet Jesus. This better make its way on to the internet or DVD collection FAST.

[Skeeter]

Littlefinger isn't supposed to be hot.

I just hope the Dwarf is bad ass in the show. & Circe is hot and naked alot.

[Artha]

& Circe is hot and naked alot.
If this does not happen, I retract my statement about the DVD release.

[Drew2]

I take it these books are worth reading?

[Artha]

If you're into fantasy type books. Martin's probably the best modern fantasy writer - his books are more 'realish' and I don't remember reading a single Deus Ex Machina (the greatest downfall of modern literature) yet.

[Gan]

This series is definatley a good read. And should be a good viewing.

[Drew2]

I'm into fantasy books that are not so realish. Wheel of Time, The Immortals, His Dark Materials, and other series.

I did not enjoy LOTR books for this reason. Not that LOTR is realistic, but it's pretty much the basis from which a lot of modern books draw from, so it's like a dull version of everything exciting I read today.

Anyway, if it's "realish", I might not like it too much, depending on your definition of that. The definition I assume you're using is like, big warrior guy stabs other warrior guy with his sword of righteousness. And that's as fantasy as it gets.

[Gan]

Its realish as in the human'esque drama and introspection that is delivered. There is still magic, dragons, sorcerery, gods, evil vs. good, and lots of violence. And the story line will pull you along with the detail of WOT but with less tedium.

I'll see if I can find you an excerpt and post the link.

From GRRM's official website:

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-sample.html

[Landrion]

If you're into fantasy type books. Martin's probably the best modern fantasy writer - his books are more 'realish' and I don't remember reading a single Deus Ex Machina (the greatest downfall of modern literature) yet.

Yeah a better rule of thumb with Martin is; When all hope seems lost, youre probably going to die shortly.

[Gan]

Yeah a better rule of thumb with Martin is; When all hope seems lost, youre probably going to die shortly.

ROFL - so true.

He's on the edge of going from regular fantasy to dark fantasy. He likes you to get intertwined with those who are struggleing, then kill them off!

[Artha]

Anyway, if it's "realish", I might not like it too much, depending on your definition of that.

By realish, I mean that the characters are actually three dimensional - they've got their flaws, their dreams, their plots, their rises and their downfalls (this last only applies to the ones you like ;) )

There's magic, but not in the "sorcererX casts a fireball at armyN and incinerates them wholesale" style. There are sword fights but not in the "WarriorX fights 10 people and wins because of his amazing skill" style.


Does anyone know when Dance of Dragons comes out?

[Gan]

As of his website, he's still working on Dance of Dragons.

Probably not until 2008 at the earliest.

[Enceladus]

I'd like to add that, at the moment, it's very magic-lite compared to a lot of other fantasy series, though more and more of it is showing up as the series progresses. Magic seems to be limited to old superstitions, and things being long forgotten and taboo. That's not to say that there aren't some people that can use some rather freakish magic (the sorceress that appears in the second book, for instance), but then again, it's almost sort of left open for the reader to wonder if it's actually magic or someone hoodwinking everyone.

Another thing to add to the "realish" category is the grittiness of life that the characters face. Hardly anyone in the book is over the age of say, 40, and several of the "main" characters aren't even 20 yet. They're often considered "adults" in their mid-teens. One of the "main" characters is seven when the first book begins, and another character is made a king at about 13 years old. People die left and right, from things as simple as infection from a wound.

There's also a lot of kinky sex, if that's your interest. It's likely that there will be a good measure of that finding its way into the show.

[Artha]

As of his website, he's still working on Dance of Dragons.

Probably not until 2008 at the earliest.
God damn it. When I got Feast of Crows last December I was thinking DoD would be out this year, as it was supposed to be going through editing.

[ElanthianSiren]

I did not enjoy LOTR books for this reason. Not that LOTR is realistic, but it's pretty much the basis from which a lot of modern books draw from, so it's like a dull version of everything exciting I read today.

I simply can't stand the way Tolkien writes. -Too much dialogue, too little description. He's up there with Earnest Hemmingway in my list of truly annoying authors. Granted, Hemmingway's there for completely different reasons.

To be on topic; I'll be watching these when they come out.

-M

[Gan]

I thorougly loved the Tolkein novels. I would not change a thing about how they were written.

[Kitsun]

I imagine casting the Stark children would be a nightmare. Try to pick kids that will have stunted growth or fit them into roles where they'll eventually grow too old for the releases.

The underage dragon pricess sex0rzing is going to give someone heartache too.

[Drew]

I JUST CREAMED MYSELF.

[Drinin]

I imagine casting the Stark children would be a nightmare. Try to pick kids that will have stunted growth or fit them into roles where they'll eventually grow too old for the releases.

The underage dragon pricess sex0rzing is going to give someone heartache too.


Yeah, that's going to be a problem. I wouldn't be surprised if they advanced everyone in age 3-4 years. It wouldn't really bug me if they had to do that.

[Artha]

Considering the fact that there's some 14 year old (?) sex going on in the barbarian camp, I kind of hope there's at least a little age advancing for some characters.

[Hips]

Littlefinger isn't supposed to be hot.

I just hope the Dwarf is bad ass in the show. & Circe is hot and naked alot.

Doesn't matter if he is supposed to be or not, he IS in that sneaky-thiefy charming-get-other-people-to-do-my-bidding-rogue kind of way. <333

I can't waiiiiit to see the costuming... especially for Cersei and Daenerys and Arianne.

[sst]

Considering the fact that there's some 14 year old (?) sex going on in the barbarian camp, I kind of hope there's at least a little age advancing for some characters.

Rome had a 14 year old fucking his sister on HBO so i dont see it as a problem