For some random reason you've just been given a prominent position at HBO.
Game of Thrones is going to be over in 2 or 3 years and they really need something to take its place.
You've been given the task of making this something.
Assuming you are a master negotiator and can get any license you set your mind to... Which series could make for as good and successful a TV show as Game of Thrones?
Budgets are an issue. But they're of the millions per episode variety.
Key point here is on the successful; it needs some mainstream appeal, something that will appeal only to geeks need not apply.
not dune or generic fantasy like wheel of time
Iain M Banks Culture novels. Either adaptation of the books (Use of Weapons!), or just use the setting.
Kearney's "The Monarchies of God" -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchies_of_God.
Love and Hate, Exploration and Religion, Deaths and Battles galore, magic and walls - and a major smoking gun regarding the central conflict.
Plus the money for the show might get Kearney to revise that last volume which stands out like a sore thumb in the sequence.
I still harbor dreams of a true to history series based on the American Revolution era or French and Indian War period. I'd lose my mind with happiness if it were focused on the madness that was the Mohawk Valley during the Revolution. Alas, there is no book series to base it on per se, just some really solid historical texts by Gavin Watt that cover the majority of the era.
Barring that option, I'd go with a Silmarillion series. I think it would lend itself to the longer format of a series as opposed to movies. It's already been proven to be a money making franchise. Throw in all the pretty people you could use for the plethora of elves, and it has profit and success written all over it. I'm kind of surprised this isn't in development somewhere, especially with the success of GoT and the continued development of cgi and general acceptance and popularity of the genre.
Quote from: Benedict Arnold on June 28, 2016, 06:32:09 PM
Barring that option, I'd go with a Silmarillion series. I think it would lend itself to the longer format of a series as opposed to movies. It's already been proven to be a money making franchise. Throw in all the pretty people you could use for the plethora of elves, and it has profit and success written all over it. I'm kind of surprised this isn't in development somewhere, especially with the success of GoT and the continued development of cgi and general acceptance and popularity of the genre.
I'd think you'd need more sex for it to be HBO?
In any case, I don't think the rights are available for any amount of money.
Quote from: Tyr on June 28, 2016, 04:53:41 PM
For some random reason you've just been given a prominent position at HBO.
Game of Thrones is going to be over in 2 or 3 years and they really need something to take its place.
You've been given the task of making this something.
Assuming you are a master negotiator and can get any license you set your mind to... Which series could make for as good and successful a TV show as Game of Thrones?
Budgets are an issue. But they're of the millions per episode variety.
Key point here is on the successful; it needs some mainstream appeal, something that will appeal only to geeks need not apply.
Could be a Game of Thrones prequel. The First Men arriving on Westeros, fighting the Children, the White Walkers.
Might be a bit too much like the last 2 seasons, though. Same for Aegon's conquest.
I'd love to see a remake of Babylon 5, but that would fail to get mainstream appeal.
I don't really know, I don't have that much imagination.
Quote from: Jacob on June 28, 2016, 06:36:24 PM
Quote from: Benedict Arnold on June 28, 2016, 06:32:09 PM
Barring that option, I'd go with a Silmarillion series. I think it would lend itself to the longer format of a series as opposed to movies. It's already been proven to be a money making franchise. Throw in all the pretty people you could use for the plethora of elves, and it has profit and success written all over it. I'm kind of surprised this isn't in development somewhere, especially with the success of GoT and the continued development of cgi and general acceptance and popularity of the genre.
I'd think you'd need more sex for it to be HBO?
In any case, I don't think the rights are available for any amount of money.
:D
That was my first thought too.
Quote from: Benedict Arnold on June 28, 2016, 06:32:09 PM
I still harbor dreams of a true to history series based on the American Revolution era or French and Indian War period. I'd lose my mind with happiness if it were focused on the madness that was the Mohawk Valley during the Revolution. Alas, there is no book series to base it on per se, just some really solid historical texts by Gavin Watt that cover the majority of the era.
I'd love that, but would that get mainstream appeal? American Revolution, likely, something along the lines of North&South, portraying the difficulties of choosing a camp, albeit less sopy, but The War of Conquest? I doubt it.
The Gor novels! :lol:
These would make some good big budget series...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B00R3AABWM/ref=st_afs_B0159URANK
The Second Apocalypse by Scott Bakker of course. The last book in the second trilogy forming that cycle will be out in a week.
And so long as Christopher Tolkien lives, he will never sell the rights to the Silmarillion to anyone.
Props for Agelastus who appreciated the tears of a Merduk Queen.
G.
Black Company
Mistborn
Witcher
The Amber series.
The Uplift Wars
I don't think anything can top GoT.
I think S.M Stirling Dies the Fire (the emberverse) could work. It got the lite magic and the conflict.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dies_the_Fire
There are two series I think are absolutely awesome, but i don't know if the could work on TV.
Safehold https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safehold
Destroyermen. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destroyermen
Mistborn would work I think.
So could the Black Company.
Something set in Warhammer or WH40K would work if you had the budget for it.
Dragon Age, so they can use the same sets.
Okay good thread.
I already have this thought out.
It would be a drama based in a space aged Solar System.
Emperor Jacob of Cuckistan regularly uses his imperial authority to abuse and punish those he dislikes or that disagree with him.
The hero would be two friends - one from the South Pole and One from the North Pole who join forces to end the reign of this cruel tyrant and establish a new state called the Free State of Poleland.
Fast forward to the ending - Jacob is overthrown and both Poles have freedom again.
Rewind to the middle: Lots of sex, dogs, violence and tittays.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 29, 2016, 02:07:40 AM
Mistborn would work I think.
While I think the Cosmere is a pretty good universe for a show but lets not repeat the error of the Game of Thrones. Let's Sanderson finish his vision first. HBO can do that show in 15 years.
Nights Dawn Trilogy - Peter F Hamilton. Sex, other dimensional zombies, space battles, aliens etc. Also, sex.
Literally Game of Thrones 2. Milk that cow.
Set it a few hundred years later, during the age of discovery/enlightenment/industrialization and the final collapse of the feudal system in Westeros. The show follows members of the noble families as well as some of the new middle class who are challenging their power. Meanwhile, explorers find hints of an inhuman danger on the far side of the world.
Quote from: Jaron on June 29, 2016, 02:48:56 AM
Okay good thread.
I already have this thought out.
It would be a drama based in a space aged Solar System.
Emperor Jacob of Cuckistan regularly uses his imperial authority to abuse and punish those he dislikes or that disagree with him.
The hero would be two friends - one from the South Pole and One from the North Pole who join forces to end the reign of this cruel tyrant and establish a new state called the Free State of Poleland.
Fast forward to the ending - Jacob is overthrown and both Poles have freedom again.
Rewind to the middle: Lots of sex, dogs, violence and tittays.
:hug:
Quote from: Jaron on June 29, 2016, 02:48:56 AM
Okay good thread.
I already have this thought out.
It would be a drama based in a space aged Solar System.
Emperor Jacob of Cuckistan regularly uses his imperial authority to abuse and punish those he dislikes or that disagree with him.
The hero would be two friends - one from the South Pole and One from the North Pole who join forces to end the reign of this cruel tyrant and establish a new state called the Free State of Poleland.
Fast forward to the ending - Jacob is overthrown and both Poles have freedom again.
Rewind to the middle: Lots of sex, dogs, violence and tittays.
:hmm:
I think I've seen that one already.
Quote from: Jaron on June 29, 2016, 02:48:56 AM
Okay good thread.
I already have this thought out.
It would be a drama based in a space aged Solar System.
Emperor Jacob of Cuckistan regularly uses his imperial authority to abuse and punish those he dislikes or that disagree with him.
The hero would be two friends - one from the South Pole and One from the North Pole who join forces to end the reign of this cruel tyrant and establish a new state called the Free State of Poleland.
Fast forward to the ending - Jacob is overthrown and both Poles have freedom again.
Rewind to the middle: Lots of sex, dogs, violence and tittays.
What about bad pussay?
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 29, 2016, 08:05:34 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 29, 2016, 02:07:40 AM
Mistborn would work I think.
While I think the Cosmere is a pretty good universe for a show but lets not repeat the error of the Game of Thrones. Let's Sanderson finish his vision first. HBO can do that show in 15 years.
Sanderson could crank out the rest of the series in an extended weekend.
Quote from: fromtia on June 29, 2016, 09:31:06 AM
Nights Dawn Trilogy - Peter F Hamilton. Sex, other dimensional zombies, space battles, aliens etc. Also, sex.
Good pick.
Quote from: Grinning_Colossus on June 29, 2016, 12:12:23 PM
Literally Game of Thrones 2. Milk that cow.
Set it a few hundred years later, during the age of discovery/enlightenment/industrialization and the final collapse of the feudal system in Westeros. The show follows members of the noble families as well as some of the new middle class who are challenging their power. Meanwhile, explorers find hints of an inhuman danger on the far side of the world.
or go back. Dunk and egg should get you 3 seasons.
Quote from: HVC on June 29, 2016, 01:16:31 PM
Quote from: Grinning_Colossus on June 29, 2016, 12:12:23 PM
Literally Game of Thrones 2. Milk that cow.
Set it a few hundred years later, during the age of discovery/enlightenment/industrialization and the final collapse of the feudal system in Westeros. The show follows members of the noble families as well as some of the new middle class who are challenging their power. Meanwhile, explorers find hints of an inhuman danger on the far side of the world.
or go back. Dunk and egg should get you 3 seasons.
That might be a bit too much, Dunk & Egg stories are rather short, so maybe a mini series each, tops.
Game of Thrones meets Downton Abby.
Quote from: Berkut on June 29, 2016, 01:51:46 PM
Game of Thrones meets Downton Abby.
Fantasy upstairs downstairs? Now see there is something nobody has touched yet.
Quote from: Berkut on June 29, 2016, 01:51:46 PM
Game of Thrones meets Downton Abby.
I'd watch it. A drama about smallfolk in the Riverlands could go well, too, at least until about the fourth episode where everyone is murdered.
Can't believe I found this out from a source other than Languish. (unless I missed it)
http://globalnews.ca/news/3429762/game-of-thrones-spinoffs/
didn't we talk about it in the main GoT thread?
It's not really news in itself, they've been talking about a prequel/spin-off for some time. I'm guessing the spin-off will launch before GRR next book :P
What is news is that they hired writers for 4 script on 4 different shows to evaluate their options. It is very doubtfull they would launch more than on GoT at any given time.
Quote from: Agelastus on June 28, 2016, 05:29:40 PM
Kearney's "The Monarchies of God" -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchies_of_God.
Love and Hate, Exploration and Religion, Deaths and Battles galore, magic and walls - and a major smoking gun regarding the central conflict.
Plus the money for the show might get Kearney to revise that last volume which stands out like a sore thumb in the sequence.
Background looks interesting, but I don't want to spoil myself by reading that synopsis. Without spoiling it what's the story about in general terms?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 10, 2017, 10:54:01 PM
Background looks interesting, but I don't want to spoil myself by reading that synopsis. Without spoiling it what's the story about in general terms?
Alternate XV-XVIth century Europe with something like an Inquisition, a dash of magic, werewolves, faux Turkish invasion, the fall of a Constantinople wannabe and a Napoleon/Friedrich the Great figure.
Will that do?
G.
That doesn't really tell me anything about the characters or even the plot.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 12, 2017, 08:50:45 AM
That doesn't really tell me anything about the characters or even the plot.
Snape kills Dumbledore.
Quote from: Eddie Teach on May 12, 2017, 08:58:29 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 12, 2017, 08:50:45 AM
That doesn't really tell me anything about the characters or even the plot.
Snape kills Dumbledore.
That's obviously a spoiler.
If I wanted someone to read Harry Potter I wouldn't lay out the backstory and History of wizarding Britain, I'd tell them it's the story of an orphaned boy, who grow up in an abusive family, going away to a magical boarding school to learn to be a wizard. They're he'll come of age, make friends and pursue the dark forces that orphaned him and threaten his new world.
Oh fuck off, Timmy.