HBO CEO Richard Pepler and president of programming Michael Lombardo shoots down Game of Thrones being turned into a movie, and insists there’s no cause for concern for the TV show overtaking the books.
Ever wanted to see Game of Thrones get the movie treatment? Unfortunately, regardless if you want it or not, it’s not happening anytime soon. In a press chat at the Television Critics Association (TCA) tour in Beverly Hills, HBO Chairman and CEO Richard Pepler along with president of programming Michael Lombardo answered a few fan questions regarding the highly regarded fantasy TV series. When asked about a Game of Thrones movie adaptation to cap off the TV show, Pepler mentioned that author George R.R. Martin “is 100 percent focused on his books and his series, and has only held out the movie concept as something way down the road;” with Lombardo adding, “There’s no conversations going on about a movie.”
In addition to that, the execs were asked about the potential problems arising if Martin doesn’t finish the books in time for the TV show to continue. Lombardo states that they’re working closely with Martin in regards to the plot, and that they’re “not concerned about it.”
We’re not off on our own in respect to at least next season. Obviously George is an integral part of the creative team, so next season every move is being choreographed very closely with him. Certainly after next year we’ll have to figure it out with George. The book’s not finished at this point, but we’re in conversations with him. We’re not concerned about it.
It’s said that showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss are looking to finish Game of Thrones in seven seasons. But with next year’s fifth season run drawing most of its content from Martin’s fourth and fifth novels (A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons), it’s expected that the sixth and seventh season of the TV series will pull its contents from The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, which have yet to be published. So, HBO has to either wait for Martin to finish and publish the books, or work hand-in-hand with the author to make sure the show doesn’t deviate its course away from the book series.
In related news, Martin has gone on record to say that he won’t alter the way he writes just to please fans who can’t wait for the book. So, book fans might be in for a long wait. For Game of Thrones fans, would you even want a movie based on the show/books? What are your thoughts on the TV show outpacing the novels and what can HBO do to make sure that doesn’t happen?
Source: Entertainment Weekly via Winter is Coming
