Tag: Game of Thrones

Posted on in Film News

George R.R. Martin’s ‘Sandkings’ Getting A Netflix Movie Directed By Gore Verbinski

Another George R.R. Martin adaptation is on the way at Netflix.

Collider reports that Martin’s novelette Sandkings will be getting a feature film at Netflix from director Gore Verbinski and Dennis Kelly writing the script.

Veteran director Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) is teaming with original Utopia creator Dennis Kelly on a feature adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s 1979 novelette Sandkings that is currently in the works at Netflix, Collider has exclusively learned.

Here is what the story is about.

The story follows a wealthy playboy named Simon Kress who collects dangerous, exotic animals. One day, he stumbles across a mysterious establishment called Wo & Shade, where he purchases a terrarium filled with four colonies of creatures called sandkings, which grow to fill whatever environment they are kept in. Each colony consists of a large female called the maw, and numerous insect-like mobiles that she controls via telepathy. In addition to finding food for the maw, the mobiles also construct a sandcastle around her to protect the maw from invading colonies. Indeed, the four colonies — white, black, red and orange — often engage in coordinated wars with one another, especially once their new owner makes them fight over food by starving them. Simon begins taking bets on the outcomes of these wars, which leave some of his friends impressed, and others disgusted. Eventually, the sandkings escape Simon’s terrarium and begin to take over his house as their hunger — and Simon’s desperation — intensifies.

Sandkings was adapted into an episode of The Outer Limits in the 1990s and takes place within Martin’s Thousand Worlds universe, which is also the setting of his sci-fi horror story Nightflyers that got a feature film and short-lived series.

Martin is busy producing multiple spinoff series at HBO set within the Game of Thrones franchise.

Verbinski directed films like The Ring, The Mexican, Disney’s Pirate of The Caribbean trilogy, and a lackluster Lone Ranger film. He famously attempted to make a feature film based on the video game BioShock that went nowhere and was one of the many directors that tried to make a solo Gambit film for 20th Century Fox before the X-Men rights returned to Marvel. Gore most recently made A Cure For Wellness.

SOURCE: COLLIDER

Posted on in Television News

‘Game of Thrones’ Actress Indira Varma Reportedly Joins ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Series In Mysterious Role

A report from Deadline posted yesterday revealed that British actress Indira Varma has taken an undisclosed role in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series which already stars Ewan McGregor as Ben Kenobi and Hayden Christensen reprising the Darth Vader role. 

Varma is likely best know for her supporting role in HBO shows such as Game of Thrones and Rome. However, the outlet isn’t sure who exactly she’ll be playing in Star Wars series that takes place many years before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: A New Hope as Luke Skywalker will still be a child during this era in the timeline. 

Deborah Chow, who previously worked on Season 1 of The Mandalorian is directing the spinoff series focusing on the former Jedi Master/General and according to McGregor, Kenobi will begin shooting in Los Angeles around late spring. 

Lucasfilm is busy as they’re currently filming The Book of Boba Fett and Andor with a Willow sequel series starting production in Wales this month as well. Other live-action Star Wars shows announced back in December include Season 3 of The Mandalorian, Rangers of The New Republic, Ahsoka, Lando, and The Acolyte. The studio has its hands full as Patty Jenkins will be directing the next feature film, titled Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, and has a release date of December 22nd, 2023. 

The Book of Boba Fett is expected to be the next Disney+ series to release in the fall. 

SOURCE: DEADLINE 

Posted on in Television News

Rose Leslie & Theo James Starring In HBO Series ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ From ‘Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat

Game of Thrones actress Rose Leslie is returning to HBO.

According to Deadline the cable giant has hired Rose for the role of Claire Abshire in their series adaptation of The Time Traveler’s Wife from Sherlock and Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat. She’s been paired-up with fellow British actor Theo James, who will play her love interest Henry DeTamble.

Moffat will be adapting the series from the novel from Audrey Niffenegger.

Claire Abshire is fiery, clever and unstoppable – and for most of her life she’s had an amazing secret. Since she was six years old, Clare has had an imaginary friend: a kind and funny man, sometimes old, sometimes young, who appears in the woods behind her house and tells her tales of the future. Visits from the mysterious Henry are the bright spots in the tedium of her childhood. As the years pass, and she grows into a beautiful young woman, she starts to realize her friend is not imaginary – he’s a time traveler, visiting from the future. And he’s not just from any old future – he’s from her future. Clare has a literal date with destiny. One day she’s going to meet a young man called Henry DeTamble – whom she’ll know very well but who won’t recognize her at all – and she will become the time traveler’s wife.

Henry DeTamble has a problem. Since he was eight years old he’s been time traveler. It’s not a superpower, it’s a condition – he can’t help it. Sometimes, when Henry is stressed or worried – and sometimes for no reason at all – he loses his grip on the current moment and falls naked into the past or the future. One minute he’s making breakfast, the next he’s naked at a hoedown in 1973. He can be stuck there for minutes or months, he never knows. His life is a rollercoaster of constant danger and white-knuckle survival. Until one day he meets a beautiful redhead in the library where he works. Her name is Clare Abshire and although he’s never seen her before, she claims to have known him all her life. Finally his curse has given him something good – and Clare and Henry are about to have the time of their lives!

When production is expected to begin or when the series is aiming to begin airing isn’t mentioned in the report.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Television News

HBO & George R.R. Martin Teaming For Series Adaptation of Sci-Fi Novel ‘Roadmarks’

Game of Thrones franchise creator/author George R.R. Martin is developing a new series at HBO according to Deadline. The outlet is reporting that he’ll executive produce a series adaptation of Roger Zelazny’s Roadmarks with Kalinda Vazquez (Fear The Walking Dead, Star Trek: Discovery) set to write, showrun, and executive produce the series.

The Road runs from the unimaginable past to the far future, and those who travel it have access to the turnoffs leading to all times and places–even to the alternate time-streams of histories that never happened. Why the Dragons of Bel’kwinith made the Road–or who they are–no one knows. But the Road has always been there and for those who know how to find it, it always will be!

Switching gears from fantasy to sci-fi isn’t much of a stretch for George as one of his novels, Nightflyers, was adapted into a feature film and recent television series, neither were terribly successful but it’ll be interesting to see where this one goes.

Martin is also behind a whole wave of Game of Thrones spinoffs including House of The Dragon, Tales of Dunk & Egg, and an animated project that is in development.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Television News

‘House of The Dragon’: Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Rhys Ifans & Sonoya Mizuno Join The ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel Series

WarnerMedia has announced today four new cast members have joined their Game of Thrones prequel spinoff series, titled House of The Dragon.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, the series will tell the story of House Targaryen (a.k.a. the House that gave us the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen) and take place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones.

Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon aka “The Sea Snake.” The lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen, “The Sea Snake,” is the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros. He built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters and that claims the largest navy in the world.

Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon. A dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, “The Queen Who Never Was” was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council because the realm favored her cousin, Viserys, simply for being male.

Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, who loyally and faithfully serves both his king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king’s brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.

Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria. She came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall, and could have wilted…but instead she rose to become the most trusted — and most unlikely — ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the heir to the throne.

They are joining previously announced actors such as Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, and Matt Smith.

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen. Viserys was chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy, but as we’ve learned from Game of Thrones, good men do not necessarily make for great kings.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower. She’s the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. The king’s first-born child. She is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything…but she was not born a man.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen. The younger brother of King Viserys and heir to the throne, Daemon is a peerless warrior and a dragonrider who possesses the true blood of the dragon. But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air…

Posted on in Television News

‘The Last of Us’: HBO Series Is A ‘Game of Thrones’ Reunion With Pedro Pascal & Bella Ramsey Nabbing Lead Roles

Despite previous casting rumors for The Last of Us, Deadline has revealed that HBO has hired Game of Thrones alumni Pedro Pascal as Joel and The Hollywood Reporter adding that fellow Thrones actress Bella Ramsey for the role of Ellie. Based on the Naughty Dog video game, The Last of Us focuses on Joel and his young companion Ellie has they navigate a post-apocalypse United States.

Twenty years after a fungal infection obliterated most of the U.S. population and turned the victims into infected monstrosities, Joel is tasked with escorting Ellie to the Fireflies to help reverse engineer a cure. However, this isnt easy for either of them, since Joel has been left almost permanently bitter after the death of his daughter, and Ellie is distrusting of him.

The series is being developed by Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.

Pedro Pascal is the lead of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian and his commitments to The Last of Us likely explains why Season 3 is seemingly going to be delayed. The Book of Boba Fett is reportedly shooting in California and Ewan McGregor confirmed Obi-Wan Kenobi will begin shooting there in late spring.

Deadline also pointing out that Pedro will be making the HBO series before moving on to The Mandalorian, however, it’s unknown when Lucasfilm will start shooting or if they’ll start without him.

He will continue on the Star Wars series, where he is used sparingly because of the nature of his character, though The Last Of Us has him in first position.

Lucasfilm just announced they had fired actress Gina Carano for an antisemitic post on social media and pausing production for a little bit might be a good call.

SOURCE: DEADLINE & THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Television News

‘Game of Thrones’: Animated Project Reportedly In Very Early Development At HBO Max

Another Game of Thrones project might come together at HBO Max and this time would be an animated series as revealed today by The Hollywood Reporter. However, they failed to mention any details or who would be working on the show.

They’re also protecting themselves as mentioning in the report that things could fall apart, the warning seems to be in reaction to their premature story concerning a live-action Harry Potter series being in the works at HBO Max as well.

An animated Game of Thrones drama is in the early stages of development at HBO Max, multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Meetings with writers for the adult-leaning project, which would be similar in tone to HBO’s Emmy-winning flagship, are already under way. No deals have been made and there’s still a possibility that the animated series never comes to fruition.

Live-action spinoff series coming soon include the prequels House of The Dragon and Tales of Dunk & Egg.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Posted on in Television News

‘Game of Thrones’: HBO Finally Developing ‘Tales of Dunk & Egg’ Series

House of The Dragon won’t be the only Game of Thrones prequel series in the works at HBO based on established work written by George R.R. Martin. Today, Variety reports that HBO is in early development on Tales of Dunk & Egg, a new series adaptation based on Martin’s A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms, a collection of the three novellas focused on characters Ser Duncan The Tall (Dunk) and a young Aegon V Targaryen (Egg).

A young, naive but courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals – in stature if not experience. Tagging along with him is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg – whose true identity must be hidden from all he and Dunk encounter: for in reality he is Aegon Targaryen, and one day he will be king. Improbable heroes though they be, great destinies lie ahead for Dunk and Egg; as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits.

There had been rumblings for ages that the duo would be perfect fodder for an HBO series adaptation. Their adventures takes place 90 years before the events of the main novels and the Game of Thrones series.

Writers and showrunners aren’t mentioned but there is an expectation that Martin will be closely involved creatively along with being the show’s executive producer.

House of The Dragon, another prequel that has been given a full series order at HBO for a debut in 2022 with a cast that consists of Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Directors on the first season of that show are Miguel Sapochnik, Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel, and Greg Yaitanes.

SOURCE: VARIETY

Posted on in Television News

‘House of The Dragon’: New ‘Game of Thrones’ Series Adds Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, and Emma D’Arcy

We’re all excited to see how the new Game of Thrones spinoff series House of The Dragon as production is said to be kicking-off this spring in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Today, WarnerMedia has announced three new additions to the cast that will be joining Paddy Considine in the fantasy prequel that will focus on various Targaryens. The new names include Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen.

The Illuminerdi first reported that Matt Smith was in the mix.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, the series will tell the story of House Targaryen (a.k.a. the House that gave us the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen) and take place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones.

Directors on the first season are Miguel Sapochnik, Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel, and Greg Yaitanes.

You can read the official character breakdowns below.

Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen. Viserys was chosen by the lords of Westeros to succeed the Old King, Jaehaerys Targaryen, at the Great Council at Harrenhal. A warm, kind, and decent man, Viserys only wishes to carry forward his grandfather’s legacy, but as we’ve learned from Game of Thrones, good men do not necessarily make for great kings.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower. She’s the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the most comely woman in the Seven Kingdoms. She was raised in the Red Keep, close to the king and his innermost circle; she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.

Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. The king’s first-born child. She is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Many would say that Rhaenyra was born with everything…but she was not born a man.

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen. The younger brother of King Viserys and heir to the throne, Daemon is a peerless warrior and a dragonrider who possesses the true blood of the dragon. But it is said that whenever a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air…

It’s unclear when House of The Dragon will begin airing on HBO and HBO Max.

SOURCE: WARNERMEDIA

Posted on in Television News

Bryan Cogman Developing Series Based On Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Yojimbo’ – Previously Worked On ‘Game of Thrones’ and Amazon’s ‘Lord of The Rings’

The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Bryan Cogman has landed an overall deal at Entertainment One (formerly at Amazon) and his first project will be a commentary series based on the iconic Akira Kurosawa masterpiece Yojimbo that starred legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune.

The first project under the pact is a contemporary take on Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo. 

YOJIMBO (1961) – A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master (Toshiro Mifune), enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon (Kamatari Fujiwara) and sake merchant Tokuemon (Takashi Shimura) to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

The samurai film, like Seven Samurai, influenced multiple versions in the west most famously the Sergio Leone western A Fistful of Dollars (1964) that starred Clint Eastwood and there was also a lesser known gangster remake from Walter Hill with Last Man Standing (1996) starring Bruce Willis. It also has had some influence on more modern projects such as the Star Wars series The Mandalorian.

Cogman previously worked on HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones and the first season of Amazon’s expensive Lord of The Rings series. He also penned Disney’s live-action Stone In The Stone film.

FX is also attempting their own modern samurai series with a revival of Shogun based on the novel by James Clavell.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER