Rumours that a Game of Thrones movie was in the pipeline circulated last month, and although author George R. R. Martin has admitted those rumours were false, he has said it would be pretty cool to do in the future. Helena Vesty and Helen Daly debate whether the much-loved TV show would work on the big screen
Whilst the thousands upon thousands of fans around the world would love to see as much of the Games of Thrones story as possible, if the new rumours that a film is in the works are indeed true, the transition to the big screen might not be the best move for the show.
To put it lightly, Game of Thrones, by anyone’s standards, is complicated. From the political scheming and secret alliances, to the sheer number of brutal deaths - we have a lot to keep up with.
If this entire world of dark plots and dynasties were to be squashed and slimmed down to fit into a 2 and a half hour film, we would, quite honestly, know nothing. From a practical point of view, it would be an immense challenge to fit all of the information and history of families into a feature-length film, necessary for a storyline of the same calibre as the show. The hour-long episodes are elaborate enough for the audience to have a great experience before the next instalment.
If this entire world of dark plots and dynasties were to be squashed and slimmed down to fit into a 2 and a half hour film, we would, quite honestly, know nothing.
The making of a film, rather than another series would also be a real shame, from a narrative perspective. The number of episodes has allowed the television show to portray so many facets to the world of Westeros. One of the main reasons the series is so interesting for fans to watch, is precisely because of such detailed writing. We get to see the appearance of the different lands, the elaboration of relationships, and how all of the characters execute plans, or often people, over time. When given a more limited time slot, the devoted fans may have this development cut disappointingly short, which overall would be a poor way to end such a successful run of the franchise.
There are definite draws to the idea of a Game of Thrones film. The higher budget would allow for even better visuals, and the IMAX theatres would be a fantastic way to see the epic battle scenes, and sweeping landscape shots. Perhaps a prequel to the current events of the show could be made to fill the gap which other action-adventure films have left, such as the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. Even so, these aspects would not be worth sacrificing the building plot and character growth which we have seen over 5 seasons on television.
Game of Thrones is truly a unique fixture on our TV schedules, being the most popular series, and ultimate example of the small screen adventure genre. Making a film might only cheapen the response the show has received, as it would simply fade into the background among the hundreds of other fantasy films which are produced each year.
To deprive such a loyal following of their weekly collective Game of Thrones session would be a harsh winter in television indeed.
I'll level with you: when I first heard about the rumours of a Game of Thrones movie, I was a little underwhelmed and slightly disappointed. It baffles me that in this day and age when TV has quite rightly made the transition from being a form of cheap entertainment and having no real credibility to churning out award-winning show after award-winning show, we constantly have the reminder that a film adaptation is some kind of honour. It’s thanks to shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead which have proven time and time again that you don’t need to be making movies to make beautiful pieces of cinematography.
Now, you must be getting a little confused: ‘I thought this was the ‘yes’ argument?’ I hear you cry. Well, yes it is. So, here we go.
It baffles me in this day and age when TV has quite rightly made the decision from being a cheap form of entertainment [...] to churning out award-winning show after award-winning show, we constantly have the reminder that a film adaptation is some kind of honour
One of the major drawbacks of producing a TV show is the smaller budget; it’s a commonly known fact that films have huge amounts of money pumped into them. Now, if Game of Thrones already looks and sounds amazing, just imagine what a budget triple the size of the one it already has would turn the show into. Game of Thrones has a huge scale by nature so it makes sense that that this should be emulated in the production. The possibilities would be endless given the equipment the producers would have access to. Although let’s not lie, perhaps they shouldn’t have access to everything; I’m more than happy to admit that Game of Thrones 3D would be abysmal because no-one, I repeat no-one, would want to see the Viper’s head popping in complete 3D glory.
Game of Thrones has often been known as ‘event television’. As sad as the fact may seem, our favourite violent fantasy drama will eventually come to an end (*sob*). For me, I can’t think of a better way to end one of the best shows on TV than with a feature-length epic battle on the big screen. I wouldn’t suggest this of any show; it would seem a bit silly to have Geordie Shore: The Movie, but each to their own, I guess.
Now, I’ll admit that one of the triumphs of Game of Thrones is its ability to manage many stories at the same time, giving them each the screen time they deserve. It might be difficult to cram this all in one movie but imagine, if you will, an episode like ‘The Watchers on the Wall’ in film format for a moment. One, big battle movie with dire consequences (Jon and Ygritte forever) would be the massive piece of event cine-TV that the fans deserve.
You read that right: we, as loyal fans, deserve a big treat. After all the deaths we’ve been through, we should be given the gift of the producers throwing absolutely everything into one, final episode-movie. So, come on George, if you really love us, give us a movie.
