There is a lot of buzz building about a potential HBO series that begins filming its pilot this October. Most information about this TV show can come from this great source: WInter Is Coming
"A Game of Thrones" is the first book of George R.R. Martin's amazing fantasy series A Song of Ice & Fire. HBO is filming a pilot for the series, which plans to have a season for each of the books in the series.
My previous diaries on this show can be found here:
"Game of Thrones" to begin filming this fall
Game of Thrones Casting Update
Hot off the presses is the news that Lena Headey has been cast as Queen Cersei. Headey is of course known to fans as Queen Gorgo in 300, and Sarah Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Headey joins a cast made up of:
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Cersei's twin, Jaime Lannister
Peter Dinklage as her other brother, Tyrion Lannister
Sean Bean as Ned Stark
Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon
Alfie Owen-Allen as Theon Greyjoy
Maisie Willimas as Arya Stark
Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
Tamzin Merchant as Daenarys Targaryen
Iain Glen as Jorah Mormont
Rory McCann as Sandor "The Hound" Clegane
Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn Stark
Kit Harington as Jon Snow
Richard Madden as Robb Stark
Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon
Harry Lloyd as Viserys Targaryen
There are still a lot of minor roles to fill for the pilot, and more still for the rest of the 1st season. An inside report from an HBO producer has this to say:
- She really likes the script, and thinks its very promising.
- big news She sounds almost certain that at least one season of Game of Thrones will be produced. From how she told it, HBO uses pilots (particularly in this instance) more as a way of testing the show, and seeing what they can improve/change. Due to the amount of effort already invested, she seems very sure about the idea that the series is getting picked up regardless of the pilot, though aspects may well change.
Things she is not so happy/sure about.
- The director. She thinks McCarthy is a mistake, at least in terms of filming the entire series. According to her, he is a director who specialises in small casts, with low-budet production costs, and will simply not be able to manage A Game of Thrones, with its huge cast and epic fantasy feel. He will probably get the best out of the actors, but she feels strongly that he's the wrong choice in terms of a long term series director. He doesn't take on the views of the other producers enough.
All of this is great news for us Song of Ice & Fire fans. It sounds like this is going to be one of the hottest new shows of 2010, and with the incredible buzz building around it already it seems like it will be around for a while to come.