Monday, March 29, 2021

GEORGE R.R. MARTIN Signs 5-YEAR DEAL to Develop NEW HBO SHOWS

 


Fantasy author George R.R. Martin, creator of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” has an interesting working relationship with HBO, the network that adapted his work into “Game of Thrones.” The official production lore has it that Martin gave the okay to show-runners D.B. Weiss and Dave Benioff when they correctly deduced the parentage of key character Jon Snow. The author, who is the show’s co-producer, even wrote an episode for each of the first four seasons. While book fans just want him to finish the last two books, Martin just seems to find himself with other stuff to do, like sign a deal with HBO to develop more content.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, George R.R. Martin has just inked an agreement to conceptualize new programming such as series for HBO. While not specified, the deal with the “Song of Ice and Fire” author is said to be worth over “eight figures” and keep him busy for five years. It should be noted that in the wake of the “Game of Thrones” series ending in 2019, HBO has been juggling multiple development projects based on the World of Ice and Fire, drawing material from other books Martin wrote that serve as prequels to the narrative from “ASOIAF” and “GOT.”

Of course, fans for Martin and his books (being somewhat distinct from fans of the TV series), are concerned that having him work on more TV content will simply cut into his writing time for “The Winds of Winter,” book 6 of “ASOIAF.” Recently he noted that being stuck at home during the COVID pandemic allowed him to write “hundreds of pages” worth of story for “Winds,” but that his work was far from over. While Martin is a TV writer-producer, the fact that he is already 72 has some worrying that the books will be unfinished in his lifetime.

Outside of his new five-year deal, George R.R. Martin is already developing at least two series for HBO, based on other writers’ books: Nnedi Okorafor’s “Who Fears Death” (2011) and Roger Zelazny’s “Roadmarks” (1979). HBO’s own planned “Game of Thrones” spinoff content includes “House of the Dragon,” “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” “Sea Snake,” “10,000 Ships,” “Flea Bottom” and an as-yet unspecified mature-viewing animated series.

Image courtesy of Complex

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