The ending of HBO’s Game of Thrones was rushed and now we the bosses of HBO have confirmed that the Game of Thrones movie trilogy ending was the original plan. So what happened?
George R.R. Martin First Mentions Trilogy Game of Thrones Ending
The idea of a Game of Thrones trilogy movie ending to the popular HBO show is not new. Author George R.R. Martin mentioned this idea originally in 2020. The original plan wasa film trilogy that audiences would watch in movie theaters.
Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss comfirmed that this was the original plan instead of doing the final 13 episodes acorss two season.
HBO Executives Didn’t Want Trilogy Movie
But a trilogy movie was not meant to be because HBO executives didn’t want to put Game of Thrones in theaters. They pointed out that HBO stood for “Home Box Office” and not “Away Box Office.” It always comes down to executives never truly understanding the source material and what fans want. A three movie ending would have been a perfect close to one of the best shows ever created.
This wasn’t a one-off either as the Wall Street Journal says that “Benioff and Weiss, who have been friends since grad school, weren’t crazy about HBO’s then-owners, AT&T, whose executives once asked whether ‘Game of Thrones’ could be shot vertically so it would fit on your phone. The company also openly discussed the idea of snackable mini-episodes of the series.”
“Dysfunction kills more projects than anything else, whether it’s interpersonal dysfunction or institutional dysfunction,” Weiss told
“When you sign a five-year deal with a company, you want that company to be stable so you can be left alone to do your work and not have to worry about it being bought by the phone company,” Benioff adds. “Finding the smoothest ride in the ocean was key.”
Benioff and Weiss Working on 3 Body Problem at Netflix
There seems to be a lot of animosity between the showrunners and HBO and rightfully show. The ending of Game of Thrones was tricky and HBO did not help Benioff and Weiss navigate those rough waters. Now, it has overshadowed most of the show. Knowing that there could have been a trilogy movie ending to the show doesn’t make sit well with me.
Now, Benioff and Weiss are working on “3 Body Problem” on Netflix and it is expected to be a huge project. We hope they get full control of the show and get to give it the ending it deserves, unlike Game of Thrones. And then maybe, fans of Game of Thrones will be vindicated when 3 Body Problem becomes the next big TV show.
Conclusion
I don’t blame Benioff and Weiss for taking shots at HBO, which is now Max, as they start their next big project. It does sound like HBO let them take the fall for the failure of the ending for Game of Thrones. It is easier to blame people than a company and that is what happened. Let’s hope HBO has learned its lession and won’t make the same mistake going forward.