EW Reveals 7 Season Plan

[Winnief]

I'd love to hear his thoughts on how Sansa, Arya, Bran's storylines can be spaced out over three seasons (or even two). Or Davos, or Brienne, or pretty everybody else in the cast.

]Ditto. He didn't actually give them much to do in the last couple books...unless he expects D&D to add in a lot of cool adventures for them, that GRRM never bothered to write.

[Aerys Ahai Reborn]

Right now the best scenario is he get a draft of TWOW to D&D mid 2015 so at least season 6 will follow the book. But season 7 will be D&D plus whatever GRRM told them.

Actually, GRRM would need to give them the draft this upcoming autumn, which is when they'll do the writing for season 6. Right?

They start writing the autumm (2014) before they film in the next year's summer (2015) for the next year's (2016) season (season 6). Am I correct with that?

(i think I've heard that here before)

edit: I guess they finish about 6-7 scripts by March? Still, they need to plan it all out way in advance.

Anyway, I think they'll greatly reduce or cut some of the major subplots. With them knowing the "broad strokes," I'm sure they can find a way to cut a lot.

[The Human Abstract]

I don't actually believe they can pull off finishing the story in 3 more seasons and also do a decent job of it. I'd prefer they continue at their current pace and depth, pick a nice stopping point, and end it.

[Mel_Rose]

They will never do a hiatus or prequel. I wouldn't, if I was them. I have met people who told me last year, after 3 seasons, that they're fed up, they were like "when is winter coming?" Meaning, when are we going towards a culmination. Not get there, just see the story going towards it.

Although it's easy to dismiss the opinion of a casual viewer like him, I think he represents a sentiment that is only likely to grow if the series does a hiatus or a prequel. How can Martin not see that? I'm assuming that Martin has experienced the loyalth, dare I say frenzy, of us book readers and thinks TV viewers will be like that.

Erm, no. Especially with so many great series out now.

There are people who marathon the series, who talk about it, who are looking forward to the new season - imagine getting to tWoW in a couple of years and then - hiatus. Or Dunk and Egg! No way.

Edit: typo

[Rooseman]

I'm hoping that GRRM told them an alternate version of how the story is going to go.

I don't understand why D&D and GRRM don't seem to be communicating. I'm sure George understands, that dwelling on AFfC/ADwD for three seasons is impossible, and that they have to finish the show in 7 or perhaps 8 seasons. Now if they were working together, they could come up with a trimmed and alternate storyline that's different from how the books will end. I think that would be the ideal solution.

But it really looks like they're not even talking? George's statements certainly don't look like they are.

[Beric175]

Lets just get used to the idea that the show advances faster than Martin can write and that it will outpace him no matter what he does. ASOAF isn't really hopeful about anything so why make an exception in this regard? I also think that if they spent a whole week disussing the futire of each character then we can be sure that they're in touch about this and planning ahead.

[titanx5]

I am starting to wonder what is going on with GRRM, he cannot honestly expect for D&D to make 2 seasons of AFFC and ADWD, and then still would need to have another 2 seasons to cram in WOW and DOS. An extended season 7 would be great (however would have hoped for a s8, but anyways looks like we going get 7). A hiatus would ruin the momentum created of the show, and plus the problem with the children actors, especially Bran are growing if he didnt realize. And plus D&D have said repeatedly there will be no prequel, hiatus or wait for GRRM to finish writing the books. So he needs to get his act together. The show is not going to get 9 seasons, even 8 is a doubt.

As for people thinking we wont get exact scenes from WOW, I'm sure we will, he has probably also given them the parts of the book that are finished, the later they wont have, but we will have probably finished the book next year, so D&D will be in possession of the book already a year before we get it. However DOS we wont.

I think seven seasons is what will happen, with the very strong likelihood of Seasons 6 and/or 7 being extended by a couple extra episodes to fit it all in.

Since they will inevitably have to make *some* cuts, the question is what?

I think a lot of the Mereen storyline and all the wanderings of Tyrion and Brienne can be seriously truncated for purposes of length and pacing. Notice they've already cut out Dalla, Val, and Aemon Battleborn.

I also think that unless Aegon turns out to be the genuine article and a bona fide dragon rider to boot, (unlikely,) his storyline might well be cut altogether.

I think they'll have to include at least one Greyjoy brother, (most likely Euron,) and that Damphair will be cut for sure.

I also suspect at least some events from TWoW, (like the Battle of Mereen, Battle of Ice, Tyrion meeting Dany, Cersei/Margaery's trials, siege of Oldtown,) will take place at the end of Season 5, if for no other reason then they need climactic events. Frankly I look forward to seeing it because I want to know what happens.

I dont understand why people are so adamant of omiting fAegon. fAegon and JonCon are important for Tyrion's arc, and anyways they dont need to show him all the time, they just need to show him till half way of s5, and then landing by the Stormlands viewing Storms End. And can hear of his conquests of screen.

I'm sure we will get to big battles in s5 by showing beginning of battle of ice, and then not showing the end result to make the viewers believe the pink letter is true, and then show Stannis is still alive in s6e01. The battle of Slavers Bay we will probably get as well. Cause we can already see in s4 that we are going to get 2 battles by showing siege of Meeren and the battle at the Wall.

And Tyrion has already mentioned when talking to Theon in s1 that Theon's uncles were responsible for the burning of Lannisport, so we will get Euron and Vic, Aeron perhaps but I doubt it. But I expect no to see a KM, we may hear in s4 that Euron has taken the Seastone Chair perhaps at small council meeting and will see in s5 the interaction with him and Vic, and will show a few scenes in the beginning of dislike between them, and Euron's plan to attack the reach and marry Dany and the Dragon Horn, and then will show Vic in the end of s5 sailing into Meeren. We will definately not get the battle of the shield Islands.

[protar]

The amount of miscommunication that seems to be going on between Martin and D+D is incredibly baffling and worrisome. Maybe they just didn't have the heart to tell him that they've already nearly caught up with him?

ETA: I can only hope that seeing bits of AFFC/ADWD on screen in under a month will act as a major wake-up call for Martin.

[HairGrowsBack]

The amount of miscommunication that seems to be going on between Martin and D+D is incredibly baffling and worrisome. Maybe they just didn't have the heart to tell him that they've already nearly caught up with him?

ETA: I can only hope that seeing bits of AFFC/ADWD on screen in under a month will act as a major wake-up call for Martin.

What's strange is that he is , at least to a small extent, involved in the show. He as usual wrote one episode this season, and you'd think he'd try and keep informed on the progression of the storylines. It seems really queer he doesn't know how far they are going, or maybe he doesn't want to know ?

[Winnief]

I dont understand why people are so adamant of omiting fAegon. fAegon and JonCon are important for Tyrion's arc, and anyways they dont need to show him all the time, they just need to show him till half way of s5, and then landing by the Stormlands viewing Storms End. And can hear of his conquests of screen.

I'm sure we will get to big battles in s5 by showing beginning of battle of ice, and then not showing the end result to make the viewers believe the pink letter is true, and then show Stannis is still alive in s6e01. The battle of Slavers Bay we will probably get as well. Cause we can already see in s4 that we are going to get 2 battles by showing siege of Meeren and the battle at the Wall.

And Tyrion has already mentioned when talking to Theon in s1 that Theon's uncles were responsible for the burning of Lannisport, so we will get Euron and Vic, Aeron perhaps but I doubt it. But I expect no to see a KM, we may hear in s4 that Euron has taken the Seastone Chair perhaps at small council meeting and will see in s5 the interaction with him and Vic, and will show a few scenes in the beginning of dislike between them, and Euron's plan to attack the reach and marry Dany and the Dragon Horn, and then will show Vic in the end of s5 sailing into Meeren. We will definately not get the battle of the shield Islands.

Good points all. I guess whether they include Aegon or not, depends on how central he *is* to future story developments.

I agree they wouldn't show the actual battle of the Shield Islands, but they might well show the aftermath, (with the infamous dinner scene, to set up Euron as a character,) as he sends Victarion off to Dany...they can easily edit out Victarion's whole voyage though.

I'm really curious though in Season Five to see how they'll handle Sansa and Bran. There could be enough with Arya's assassin training, (and possibly sending her home to Westeros,) to keep occupied, but Sansa and Bran will be trickier...unless they use Bran in Season Five to set up the revelations about Jon, (while showing some of Rickon growing up on Skagos,) But in AFFC and ADWD, there are only three chapters of Sansa and LF. I think they'll either have to add some stuff from TWoW...or maybe the writers will throw in some stuff of their own to grow Sansa into a more politically astute player, and show us some of LF's machinations as well.

[Darth Pipes]

I sometimes wonder if GRRM actually believes what he says about the show or if he's just playing up an act. He worked in television for over a decade before Game of Thrones...he knows how the game works. He can't possibly believe a billion-dollar empire like HBO is going to give him the time his publishers/editors give him to finish his stories, can he?

I've said many times I would prefer the books to be finished before the show and I stand by that. But I completely understand why that won't happen and I accept that. At least with HBO we'll get the end sooner rather than much later.

[Jairion Lannister]

All but confirmation most of AFFC and ADWD will be in one season, which makes perfect sense. Whereas parts of the books lagged, S5 will be seen as another season where things take a while to get going, but peak by the end. I could see them trying to extend it to 12/13 episodes for S5 and 6, with 16 maybe in the final season, since the final two books are likely to be quite long. The show can't be expected to wait on the books, so they'll take over either in the 2nd last or last season.

[Cas Stark]

I sometimes wonder if GRRM actually believes what he says about the show or if he's just playing up an act. He worked in television for over a decade before Game of Thrones...he knows how the game works. He can't possibly believe a billion-dollar empire like HBO is going to give him the time his publishers/editors give him to finish his stories, can he?

I've said many times I would prefer the books to be finished before the show and I stand by that. But I completely understand why that won't happen and I accept that. At least with HBO we'll get the end sooner rather than much later.

The obvious answer is that he's delusional and in denial.

Like many people, I hoped and expected that the series would help GRRM stay focused on the writing because there would be an external deadline that would force him to keep pace and not get distracted.

It appears I was wrong.

[Winnief]

The obvious answer is that he's delusional and in denial.

Like many people, I hoped and expected that the series would help GRRM stay focused on the writing because there would be an external deadline that would force him to keep pace and not get distracted.

It appears I was wrong.

Hey, TWoW could still come out in 2015, (with HBO of course getting drafts in advance to base scripts on-maybe they have one now! Maybe he's in the editing stage and getting a publishing date together,)...and then ADOS comes out shortly afterward, since the ending can practically write itself...happy, happy, happy.

Just call me Nefertiti Queen of Denial!

Seriously, I once shared similar hopes to yours, but the more commentary I hear from Martin, the more pessimistic I get. He should have gotten a new editor to help him figure out how to wrap this up years ago.

[Cas Stark]

Hey, TWoW could still come out in 2015, (with HBO of course getting drafts in advance to base scripts on-maybe they have one now! Maybe he's in the editing stage and getting a publishing date together,)...and then ADOS comes out shortly afterward, since the ending can practically write itself...happy, happy, happy.

Just call me Nefertiti Queen of Denial!

Seriously, I once shared similar hopes to yours, but the more commentary I hear from Martin, the more pessimistic I get. He should have gotten a new editor to help him figure out how to wrap this up years ago.

We both know in our heart of hearts none of that is going to happen.

If he was really out of his alleged Meereen knot funk it wouldn't have taken 6 years between Feast and Dance. And, if he was really back on track, then we would have the next book this year or at worst, early, very early in 2015, like Spring 2015.

But, his statements and his publisher's statements don't really lend much credibility to this hope. And even IF he does get Winds out by 2015, after decades now of super slow writing, there is no reason to think he could get out book 7 in 2 years.

My opinion is that his editor served him VERY poorly on the last two books, on a lot of levels, least of which is timing.

[protar]

Maybe it's time for Martin to get a co-writer? It would never happen, but if he can't get TWOW out by early 2015 at the latest, it's probably his only shot at getting the last book out on time.

[Colonel Green]

But in AFFC and ADWD, there are only three chapters of Sansa and LF.

Sansa's season 3 is effectively based on only three chapters, so that's not insurmountable by any means.

And Tyrion has already mentioned when talking to Theon in s1 that Theon's uncles were responsible for the burning of Lannisport, so we will get Euron and Vic, Aeron perhaps but I doubt it.

How does a single line in season one acknowledging that Theon has uncles translate to the show introducing that entire plot? That doesn't follow at all. Theon may have uncles, that doesn't mean we see them.

[Winnief]

Maybe it's time for Martin to get a co-writer? It would never happen, but if he can't get TWOW out by early 2015 at the latest, it's probably his only shot at getting the last book out on time.

I doubt his ego would allow it, but it does seem like the best possible solution, at this point.

How does a single line in season one acknowledging that Theon has uncles translate to the show introducing that entire plot? That doesn't follow at all. Theon may have uncles, that doesn't mean we see them.

Well, it could be a throwaway line, but more likely it was set-up. Remember we know Balon is going to die in Season Four, and now that it's been carefully set up, that Asha isn't on the Islands, (for the best of reasons,) that leaves a power vacuum that must be filled. They're been paying too much attention to the IB on the show, for them to ignore that...and honestly with all the upcoming deaths, the show will need great new Bad Guys anyway. No, I think we'll get Euron at least in Season Five.

[Colonel Green]

Well, it could be a throwaway line, but more likely it was set-up.

They wouldn't have had anything close to firm plans for future seasons at that point.

I wouldn't say they're paying "too much attention to the IB on the show for them to ignore it" -- they pretty much did ignore the Ironborn in season 3, only bringing them back to send Yara off into Theon's plot. The Ironborn invasion of the North was reduced to an afterthought.

[Rooseman]

Well, it could be a throwaway line, but more likely it was set-up. Remember we know Balon is going to die in Season Four

Remember when they introduced Dontos in season 2? That was even more of a setup for his book storyline. But after that, they just forgot that he existed.