‘Game Of Thrones’ Could Have Just As Easily Ended With A Trio Of Movies
SPOILER ALERT: This article discusses HBO‘s Game of Thrones. Please proceed with caution if you have not yet viewed all available episodes and wish to avoid spoilers.
According to A Song of Ice and Fire author, George R. R. Martin, HBO’s Game of Thrones could have ended with a trio of movies rather than a final season.
While the final season of the epic fantasy series has been much-maligned by critics and fans alike, for a point in time, there were discussions that a series of movies would flesh out the ending of Game of Thrones, according to Esquire.
This could have seen the Battle of Winterfell, and the subsequent one at King’s Landing that saw the beginning of the end for Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) shown on theater screens. Which, for many fans, could have been a more thoroughly immersive experience.
“David Benioff and D.B. Weiss actually wanted to end the saga after the seventh season with three big movies,” Martin revealed during an interview with the German publication, Welt, and was later translated by Esquire.
This would see the eighth season fleshed out with three movies and would have potentially meant that fans of the series would have to watch it in theaters, much in the same way AMC is planning to do with its trilogy of Walking Dead movies featuring Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln).
Season 8 of Game of Thrones was pared down compared to other seasons, as was Season 7, which makes it seem like viewers would get more viewing hours if the showrunners had gotten their way. However, several of the episodes in the final season actually ran for more than an hour apiece. So, potentially, a trio of movies would not have run for any greater length than viewers have already seen.
Martin also revealed that HBO executives were actually considering the shake-up to the TV format, according to NME.
“Game of Thrones was supposed to end in cinema. It was seriously discussed four to five years ago.”
However, regardless of how much the series’ showrunners, Benioff and Weiss wanted this for the conclusion for the series, ultimately, HBO stepped in and set the record straight.
“The executives said, ‘We produce TV shows, we are not in the cinema business,'” Martin further revealed.
Season 8 was the final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, HBO is currently in production on a prequel series set in the same universe called House of the Dragon. As yet, no premiere date for this new series has been announced.
