George R. R. Martin revealed that David Benioff and Dan Weiss considered ending Game of Thrones with a film trilogy.
HBO’s Game of Thrones concluded with a six-episode eighth season that received mixed to outright negative reactions from viewers. Among the many criticisms directed towards the final season of Game of Thrones concerned the shortened episode length, which many felt resulted in story arcs being rushed and, consequently, questionable character actions.
The decision to conclude Game of Thrones with a shorter season may not have been well-received, but George R. R. Martin revealed that showrunners initially considered closing out the series with a different format. During an interview with the German outlet Welt, George R. R. Martin explained that David Benioff and Dan Weiss wanted to follow the seventh season of Game of Thrones with a film trilogy that would close out the series:
“At the moment it is not my place to decide because the movie rights for Game of Thrones belong to HBO. Besides from that, we actually considered this option: David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the makers behind the TV show, wanted to finish the saga with three big movies after Season 7. Game of Thrones was supposed to end in cinema. It was seriously discussed four to five years ago.”
However, George R. R. Martin added that the HBO executives opposed the idea of bringing Game of Thrones to the big screen:
“Because HBO didn’t want that. The executives said: We produce TV shows, we are not in the cinema business. And if HBO does make a movie, like the movie based on Deadwood, they only produce it to show it on tv – not on the big screen. Everything is changing at the moment. What is being shown at the cinema right now? Everything is mixing up. Nowadays we don’t know where the lines between cinema, streaming services and television are.”
Do you think Game of Thrones should have concluded with a film trilogy? Let us know below!
In October, HBO officially announced Game of Thrones prequel from George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal titled House of the Dragon. Centered on the downfall of House Targaryen, the prequel is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Another Game of Thrones prequel set roughly 5,000 years before the events of George R. R. Martin’s original story was initially planned before HBO scrapped the project. Directed and executive produced by S. J. Clarkson, the pilot featured an ensemble cast that included Naomi Watts, Josh Whitehouse, Toby Regbo, Ivanno Jeremiah, Georgie Henley, Naomi Ackie, Denise Gough, Jamie Campbell Bower, Sheila Atim, Alex Sharp, Miranda Richardson, Marquis Rodriguez, John Simm, Richard McCabe, John Heffernan, and Dixie Egerickx.Stay tuned to Heroic Hollywood for the latest news on the Game of Thrones franchise as it develops!
