[NO SPOILERS] Game of Thrones on Blu-Ray

[Arya The Assassin]

Imagine that you're a DVD/Blu-Ray producer at HBO, responsible for the release of GOT on the home entertainment market. HBO has a good track-record when it comes to DVD/Blu-Ray releases of their TV shows. What kind of features would you like to see on a GOT release?

My wishlist looks like this:

Audio commentaries:

Audio commentaries is one of the reasons why I purchase DVD/Blu-Rays. Good commentaries can be very valuable and interesting to listen to. GRRM has indicated that he might do an audio commentary for the DVD/Blu-Ray release, and I think that sounds awesome. I'd love to hear him do a commentary on episode 8 in particular (this is the episode he wrote himself). I'd also like audio tracks with some of the key filmmakers (D&D, the composer, production designer, VFX crew, etc.) and main actors (Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Emilia, Lena, Maisie, Sophie, etc.)

Other supplements:

• Outtakes and bloopers. Outtakes can be both funny and interesting to watch.
• A feature length, full-depth documentary (from early idea to release) would've been great, although featurettes would be much better than nothing.
• Making of episode X. With focus on a particular episode.
• Audition reels. I think Maisie's audition tapes would be interesting to watch.
• The animals. Some background information on the dogs, how they were trained, etc.
• All the behind the scenes stuff and interviews posted on YouTube and the official site.
• The creation of the opening title sequence. I think the great opening title deserves the "behind the scenes"-treatment.
• Concept artwork

Other suggestions?

The HBO programming president said in an interview that they hadn't decided yet on a release date, but suggested that they might release the series on DVD/Blu-Ray in the US next year, shortly before the second season begins. I do hope they release the Blu-Rays before Christmas, but I'm not holding my breath.

EDIT: Other things that I initially forgot to mention:

• The original, unaired pilot
• GRRM's cameo (in the original pilot)

[Ferrum Aeternum]

I do hope they release the Blu-Rays before Christmas, but I'm not holding my breath.

That makes two of us!

As for me - deleted scenes/director's cut (don't know if this is feasible, but it'd sure be nice) and commentary from producers, directors, actors (?).

[Arya The Assassin]

As for me - deleted scenes/director's cut (don't know if this is feasible, but it'd sure be nice) and commentary from producers, directors, actors (?).

I don't think they've done any director's cuts on their other TV show releases. If they decide to include deleted scenes, they'll probably end up as supplements. I don't think they'll re-edit the original cut in order to do a director's cut. Since HBO is quite liberal, I don't think there are a lot of deleted scenes due to censorship. I presume most of the deleted scenes have been cut for narrative purposes and time constraints (they can't cram too many scenes/shots into 55 minutes of running time).

They've done audio commentaries with the filmmakers and actors many times before (Rome, Deadwood and Trueblood all have numerous audio commentaries), so I'd be quite surprised if they don't include any audio commentaries. The audio tracks will probably be distributed over several episodes.

Speaking of audio: I hope they add a DTS-HD Master Audio track. The Blu-Ray releases of Deadwood and Trueblood had DTS-HD MA tracks, so I don't expect anything less for GOT.

EDIT: Added some more comments for clarity

[The Anti-Targ]

I'd like to see the appendicies (The list of houses great and small) from GoT the book put into nice graphics with some interactivity to it (like photos of characters who have been cast for Seasons 1 and 2). If the Blu-ray / DVDs are released before Season 2 it would give non-book readers a really good handle on who's who and how they are related/connected.

Interactive maps too.

Historical timeline, linked to the Maps and/or House list.

The first Dunk and Egg graphic novel made into a Voice acted motion comic strip. This is a wish list, right?

[herkles]

all that has been mentioned is what I would want, but I want commentaries for -every- episode not just a few but all of them.

[Arya The Assassin]

I completely forgot to mention that I'd like to see the original, unaired pilot. I'd be surprised if HBO decides to release the episode on Blu-Ray, though.

all that has been mentioned is what I would want, but I want commentaries for -every- episode not just a few but all of them.

Commentaries for every episode would've been great. HBO usually adds commentaries on most episodes.

[Abaddon]

- Seamless branching extended editions PLEASE! Some of the earlier episodes in particular are very rushed, although as we get to 4 and 5 they're much better. If there's any way they could get the tournament feast scene into the Blu-Ray...

(Yeah, probably not gonna happen)

- Whatever it takes to have the highest audio/visual quality.

- Audio commentary.

I'm sure there will be tons of other stuff, but those are the important ones for me.

[Ser Kevan Raley]

I completely forgot to mention that I'd like to see the original, unaired pilot. I'd be surprised if HBO decides to release the episode on Blu-Ray, though.

Yeah, I'd like to see that pilot too, but on DVD as I don't have Blu-Ray. Come to think of it, I would hate for them to have extra stuff only on the Blu-Rays and not on the DVDs.

If they for whatever reason can't have the original pilot, at least some scenes would be nice.

[herkles]

Commentaries for every episode would've been great. HBO usually adds commentaries on most episodes.

HBO does for about half their episodes or so but not all. I like hearing commetary for every episode, not just most but all ten of the episodes, that is my largest wish.

[lokisnow]

the original pilot

dtsma audio

audition reels

featurette about the title sequence, maybe an interactive thing where you can move all around the map?

selected commentaries such as: George Dave and Dan on the pilot. George on the ep he wrote. dave and dan and various others on particular favorite episodes. doesn't necessarily have to have a commentary on every episode. I would probably listen to the george ones, but commentaries are an extra I rarely use anymore.

Deleted/extended scenes with commentary (I do watch commentary on these, because its always interesting to hear why things were cut, trimmed, compressed etc)

various featurettes on the different on screen stuff but more detail.

a feature with the writers on creating new scenes not in the book, I'd love to hear their thoughts and George's thoughts on new scenes, why they made those decisions, etc etc. possibly part of a larger feature about the adaptation in general.

A brief intro "what happens next?" from George blurbing the second book, kinda saying in broad strokes what Clash of Kings is about, to incentivize watching the next season, and to go purchase the books, and another intro explaining the Dunk And Egg stories, which many fans who pick up the books may miss entirely, so it'd be fun to see George mention the stories and comics.

a feature on the book series rather than the tv series, maybe only eight minutes or so, where George explains where the first ideas came from, how long he worked on the story, and the whole feast/dance split and gardening process. chime in with david and dan saying they're working on plans for the seasons beyond season two, should we all be so lucky.

first fifteen minutes of episode 201. :D

[Phantomwriter05]

I would love to hear Lena Headey and Sean Bean on a commentary ...

In one of the producers blogs during shooting, they said that the two had alot of fun with one another.

I love it when actors play around in the commentarys.

[Tall Tyrion Lannister!]

Behind the scenes stuff

Making off featurette

Concept drawings and CGI making of.

Original Pilot

Commentary would be cool for those who like it.

[Arya The Assassin]

Yeah, I'd like to see that pilot too, but on DVD as I don't have Blu-Ray. Come to think of it, I would hate for them to have extra stuff only on the Blu-Rays and not on the DVDs.

I think the content will be quite similar. But I do expect the bonus material on the Blu-Ray-release to be HD. The BD-release might also have Bonus View/PiP-tracks.

[Vuron]

I'd like to see a feature of the VFX process. I'd really like to see the detailed process of how they built some of the scenes and the

dragons

.

Agree with most about wanting commentary.

Agree with the original pilot.

Not really interested in the audition tapes unless they include some of the really bad ones like the first episodes of American Idol. (not gonna happen, though)

[Which Tyler]

Foreign language dubbing (especially French language personally), or subtitles at the very least.

No excuse for not having these on blu rays IMO (about half actually do)

[RICKON4KING!!]

It's been said about the commentaries, but I would like to add that different people for different episodes. On an Eddard heavy episode, bring Sean in. Bring in Martin and the Producers a few times. Bring the kids in a few times, would love to hear from the children that play Bran and Arya.

[TheHalfman]

I must say I definitely agree on the commentaries. A lot of times shows will only have 1 episode per season, but the more the merrier. It is cool to watch the show with commentary to get a different perspective on things.

[citizenmilton]

GAME OF THRONES just ascended to the elite group of television dramas. It deserves a Blu Ray set equal to its achievement.

The DVD Producer should prepare first by:

1. Watch the MAD MEN blu-ray sets.

They have a commentary for every episode from a wide spectrum of voices - the benefit of having such a strong ensemble, they bring fresh perspectives.

Each season has a historical documentary on an aspect of the period. With GoT, there's an even greater opportunity - although it's a "fantasy" genre per se, the history of the Wars of the Roses, life in medieval times, could provide for interesting areas to explore and draw parallels to the show.

2. Watch the making-of documentary for THE SOCIAL NETWORK, the platinum standard of the genre.

The fly-on-the-wall immersion in the process was fascinating. But the true star of the supplements was Jessie Eisenberg introducing a new layer of honesty and frankness to the proceedings.

HOWEVER...

I must confess I don't expect this from HBO. Their sets have been decent, but some of them have been fairly blase compared to their competitors. This is perhaps the only area in which HBO is lagging behind the competition.

They could do a whole featurette just on the Major Event in episode 9. I'd be fascinated to hear how the network handled it, how it was part of the marketing strategy, whether it made casting easier or harder, etc etc.

[Robb_]

I really want to see the unaired Pilot, so hope that is an extra.

Some deleted scenes, episode commentaries, bloopers.. That would do for me really.

[Arya The Assassin]

The Blu-Ray is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com:

Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season [blu-ray] (2011)

No release date has been set, though, but it will probably be released in March 2012. A holiday season release would've been cool, but I'm not holding my breath...