[SPOILER] 'Game of Thrones' Team on Future: 'There is a ticking clock'

[Phil]

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/06/09/game-of-thrones-future/

 

Sunday?s finale cut off the action roughly two-thirds of the way through George R.R. Martin?s third Ice and Fire novel, A Storm of Swords. There?s two more books left unexplored (A Feast for Crows, A Dance With Dragons), which will present a few manageable adaptation challenges. Martin is working on his sixth book (The Winds of Winter) and plans a seventh (A Dream of Spring), but there?s no guarantee either will be ready in time for Thrones? annual production schedule, or even that the seventh novel will be Martin?s last entry in the series.

 

Season four, at least, should be relatively straight-forward. Martin?s story provides a strong map for the near-term.

 

Adapting Feast is more tricky. While Book 3 is the runaway fan favorite of the Ice and Fire saga, Book 4 is considered the weakest. Feast included new characters and tangents while omitting some beloved names like Tyrion, Jon and Daenerys. Since the events in Book 5 largely overlap with Book 4, Thrones will start drawing heavily from both novels at the same time to maintain chronological consistency. Some elements of Book 4 could (and probably should) remain on the page for Thrones to continue effectively serving its sprawling universe of current storylines and characters.

 

?I don?t think we want to answer specifically what we?re keeping and dropping, but we do take your point,? Benioff said when asked about Book 4′s content. ?The series has already reached a point where there are so many characters, particularly in season three we?re introducing so many new ones, we run the risk of bursting at the seams as we try to cram every single subplot and all the various characters and it becomes impossible on a budgetary level and it becomes impossible on an episode-basis to jump around every few minutes to 30 different characters and locations. We don?t want to do that, and recognize that as a real risk and we will take steps not to fall into that trap.?

[H-Dreamer]

It will get tough for them now, with all the character additions. I expect them to include the first bits of AFFC and ADWD in Season 4 already, towards the end.

But with those 20+ PoV characters in the last 2 Vols. combined things will get really tricky.

[Dave]

I think that they'll combine books 4 & 5 so that the timeline stays consistent and then probably break them up into 3 or 4 seasons of the show. That will give RR time to finish Winds, which may end up being 2 seasons itself.

 

Also, keep in mind there is no requirement that the books be finished before the show is.

[momentum]

I just hope they take it slow and don't try to cram too much into each episode, just have a few more seasons instead. There's enough cool stuff happening in this story to fill an hour show every week no problem.

This show is so awesome I just want it to continue :)

[Phil]

I think that they'll combine books 4 & 5 so that the timeline stays consistent and then probably break them up into 3 or 4 seasons of the show. That will give RR time to finish Winds, which may end up being 2 seasons itself.

 

Also, keep in mind there is no requirement that the books be finished before the show is.

 

Correct. Both showrunners have been given the ending from Martin who's repeatedly noted that he has the ending set, he just doesn't know how he wants to get there yet.

[LindG1000]

I'm thinking that a hybridized storyline becomes the norm because...well...it is.

 

This is the point where storylines becomes staggered - as ASOS continues, things happening in AFFC begin. Would it really be that outlandish to start Season 4 with Doran, Oberyn, Arianne and Areo Hotah discussing Joff's wedding? Would it be that crazy for Asha to get word about Balon's death in episode 2 and turn her fleet around? Heck, would it even be that big a deal if Quentyn is at that little pow-wow and makes off for Essos?

 

The delays come in the Cersei, Jon and Tyrion storylines, which have yet to culminate vis a vis ASoS. Arya can basically hop the boat whenever it's convenient. The rest? Hey, all fair game.

[NYRangers92]

I'm thinking that a hybridized storyline becomes the norm because...well...it is.

 

This is the point where storylines becomes staggered - as ASOS continues, things happening in AFFC begin. Would it really be that outlandish to start Season 4 with Doran, Oberyn, Arianne and Areo Hotah discussing Joff's wedding? Would it be that crazy for Asha to get word about Balon's death in episode 2 and turn her fleet around? Heck, would it even be that big a deal if Quentyn is at that little pow-wow and makes off for Essos?

 

The delays come in the Cersei, Jon and Tyrion storylines, which have yet to culminate vis a vis ASoS. Arya can basically hop the boat whenever it's convenient. The rest? Hey, all fair game.

 

Balons death has to be coming early next season and we already got confirmation they're casting martells so a lot of what you said seems to be the plan

[H-Dreamer]

Well they need the Martells now, at least Oberyn who will fight for Tyrion in his trial.

 

Maybe it's not necessary for all volumes to be there, I'd prefer it though.

 

Also we can't make too many filler episodes, stuff is going to slow done now anyway and even this season some people complained that episodes 6-8 dragged on too much.

[High and Wide]

Considering the lack of direction with the Martells right now, do any of you see them reducing, or even omitting their (Quentyn, Arianne, etc.) storyline? It is going to be very difficult to add more point of view characters on the show without minimizing some already established ones. Especially considering they'll likely combine AFFC and ADWD on some level.

[NYRangers92]

theyre definitely not omitting Arianne. GRRM confirmed a week or so ago theyre casting at least Oberyn, Arianne, and Mace Tyrell (and the Magnar) for next season.

I really hope they dont cut too much from Dorne. I think its becoming too important and I really want to see how it is portrayed

[High and Wide]

theyre definitely not omitting Arianne. GRRM confirmed a week or so ago theyre casting at least Oberyn, Arianne, and Mace Tyrell (and the Magnar) for next season.

I really hope they dont cut too much from Dorne. I think its becoming too important and I really want to see how it is portrayed

 

I do as well. I assume that in the next book they will become significantly more important, but right now, the only indicator is that Arianne is a POV character in TWOW.

 

For the purposes of Game of Thrones, they could leave out the Quentyn storyline.

 

 

There are enough suitors coming for Dany that Quentyn and his roasting are unnecessary.

 

[H-Dreamer]

Yeah Quentyn was pointless and can easily be cut.

[NYRangers92]

heres another good article on the future of the series, featuring input from Elio Garcia

http://io9.com/how-much-of-the-books-will-we-see-next-year-on-game-of-512639504

 

I agree with pretty much most of it except for the Arya reconnecting with Jaqen.

 

Also heres another speculative article for next season that got posted as I was writing this so I didnt read it yet

http://www.vulture.com/2013/06/what-will-happen-season-4-of-game-of-thrones.html

[H-Dreamer]

Some speculating they do, I agree with you on Arya. I am pretty sure she goes to Braavos like in the books.

[Shanahammer]

I'm pretty upset that we probably wont meet Victarion. He's a complete badass and I love his storyline of "Fuck you Euron"