One Novel per season, which probably be the way to go–I don’t see how you could reduce a book to even a 3 hour movie. GRRM (who has written for TV) will write one episode, others will write others.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31268
HBO could do a credible job. I don’t even have cable, but I can gauge reactions and if positive I can get the DVDs.
Brian
I am horrified at the thought.
Of course, I was also horrified when I first heard of the Lord of the Rings movies, so what do I know?
I love this, assuming HBO doesn’t screw up. The political drama that is the centerpiece of the series is something HBO seems to do well.
Whoa. I am apprehensive yet excited. This could go so terribly wrong. On the other hand, HBO has done wonderful things with Rome… so I cross my fingers in hope.
Cool.
Too bad there’s nothing very concrete in the details. Maybe once I see some shooting and proposed release dates I’ll be a little more convinced that it’s actually going to fly.
-Joe
If anyone could pull it off, HBO can. And one novel per season is an excellent way to pace it. Really this is the best case scenario for attempting to adapt these books at all.
The question is whether or not the often relentlessly grim nature of the storylines will translate well, particularly in terms of ratings. Also how do they deal with the changing chapter to chapter narration? For particularly complexly motivated characters like Jaime Lannister, I imagine it will be difficult to change perceptions of his actions as neatly as the novels do.
Still, I am encouraged by this news. If it fails, it fails. But the chances for even a partial success are tantalizing.
Oh and as long as we’re going with HBO anyway, let me just put my votew in now for Ian McShane as Roose Bolton.
Just an idea, but maybe GRRM could, instead of writing episodes of the series, actually finish writing the series? I’m jonsing for the next book, here. 
I read the first book during undergrad but haven’t progressed with the series (and have since forgotten the first book, too)…but if anyone can do this, HBO can. I watch almost everything they put out.
Man, what? Rome was a critical darling and ratings success, but was doomed because of the astronomically high cost of period costumes and sets, for actors and extras.
ASoF&I will definately requie period costumes and sets, for actors and extras. Plus they’ll have to add in a special effects budget for dragons and such.
If they’re willing to spend that kind of money, why wouldn’t they just continue with the already-successful Rome, instead of the unknown of a new series?
Probably because theres nothing to “continue”, the story will finish after the second season. Its not like Rome got canceled, they planed to tell the story in two seasons and thats what they did. As much as i love Rome i wouldn’t want them to stretch it out just for the sake of getting one more season out of it. As for TSOIAF, all i can say it “WOOT”. I am so glad they went with hbo rather than just turn each book into a movie, i hope they do it right. I think we need a casting thread for this!
Man, they’re either going to have to change the story enough to make the kids far older than they are in the books, or they’re going to have to find some genius kid actors. If Dakota Fanning ends up playing Arya Stark I’ll have to strangle someone.
The only real problem would be Bran, and maybe arya. Since boys are considered grown men at 16 and girls the day they get their period it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to have them played by older teenagers. Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame would make a great Sansa for example.
…I have no idea what this is.
Hopefully they’ll cast a lot of unknowns like they did with Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, etc.
Has there ever been a ‘what actor would play…’ thread for these books? How about Kate Blanchett as Cersei.
Neither do I.
Is this a tale that will require massive special effects budgets, like big effects every show?
Or effects similar to your average Strek Trek or Firefly episode.
Well there are dragons involved, but they are not a huge part of the story yet. Beside, they aren’t even born until the last page of the first book, so the first season shouldn’t be any more expensive than say… Rome.
Eh…it depends on how visual they get with “here’s what happened a couple centuries ago” kind of stuff.
That, big battles, and three teeny-tiny dragons would be it, as far as I can recall.
The wolves, maybe, but for the first season or two they’d just be largish dogs anyways.
-Joe
Yeah, it made me feel like dumb-ass, too. Thank God for wikipedia.
Add me to the “WTF? I thought HBO was short of money!” camp. That was one of their excuses for not doing a fourth season of Deadwood. Too expensive, partly because of how Milch works, all those last minute rewrites.
I’ll watch it. I suspect they’ll cast relative unknowns, and I’d be okay with that. The only Deadwood actors I recognized were Carradine and Boothe, and the series was genius.
And if the show works, more people will read the books, and maybe other good fantasy as well. Win-win.