HBO orders 'Game of Thrones' to series

George R.R. Martin adaptation will begin shooting in June and likely premiere next spring

Tuesday, Mar 2, 2010 3:12 PM

Daniel Fienberg

Fantasy fanboys (and fangirls) rejoice! HBO has formally sent "Game of Thrones" to series.

The epic adaptation of George R.R. Martin's wildly complicated and politically rich fantasy series will begin production in June 2010 in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the series is expected to premiere next spring.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss adapted the pilot and HBO has ordered nine additional episodes, which are expected to tell the story that unfolds through the first book of Martin's still-developing "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.

The deep cast includes Mark Addy as spirited (but occasionally buffoonish) king Robert Baratheon, Lena Headey as the king's scheming wife Cersei Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Cersei's twin Jamie, Peter Dinklage as cynical, complicated Tyron Lannister, Sean Bean as the stubborn and noble Eddard Stark, Jennifer Ehle as Eddard's regal wife Catelyn, Tamzin Merchant as displaced royal heir Daenerys Targaryen and Jason Moamoa as the savage horseman Khal Drogo.

The cast also includes Kit Harrington, Iain Glen, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Richard Madden, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Ron Donachie and many many more.

The pilot was directed by Tom McCarthy.

Explaining the plot of Martin's vast novel or its increasingly lengthy follow-ups would take far too long, but suffice to say it tells the story of the battle -- both violent and intellectual -- for a kingdom, pitting several rival factions each with a legitimate or illegitimate claim on the throne.

The first official image from the series appears to be from the very first scene in the book:

The first official image from HBO's

Related Searches: HBO, Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin, Mark Addy, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Sean Bean

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lazygarfield This is awesome! I have heard that the books are great but am holding off on reading them due to this series. Lets hope they are mature as the books, and don't skimp on the details...
March 2, 2010 at 3:57PM EST Reply to Comment
Guest Jason Momoa's character name is Khal Drogo.
March 2, 2010 at 4:03PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan True dat. Fixed. I'd have expected the typo to have been "Drago" like Ivan. Instead my fingers did "Grogo" like... um... nothing. - Daniel
  March 2, 2010 at 4:07PM EST
xina.in.la
March 2, 2010 at 5:39PM EST Reply to Comment
xina.in.la
March 2, 2010 at 5:39PM EST Reply to Comment
Baltezaar Wow, they managed to screw up the first scene. If you read it carefully, there's no snow in the prologue set on the far side of the Wall.

March 3, 2010 at 2:22PM EST Reply to Comment
- stevethehorrible Didn't really feel like reading the whole prologue again but, sounds like there was snow there.
  
  "the camp is two miles farther on, over that ridge, hard beside a stream," Will said. "I got close as I dared. There's eight of them, men and women both. No children I could see. They put up a lean-to against the rock. The snow's pretty well covered it now, but I could still make it out. No fire burning, but the firepit was still plain as day.
  May 6, 2010 at 2:50PM EST