Is A 'Game of Thrones' Movie Really Coming?

Is there REALLY such a thing as, "Too much of a good thing?" The creators of HBO's Game of Thrones seem to think so. There has been talk of the fantasy drama series taking on the big screen, however the folks at HBO aren't too keen on the idea. As noted on UPROXX, the premium cable network finds that, "the format switch could be construed as snubbing their loyal subscribers.” If there was just going to be a major motion picture, why bother paying for the weekly installments? It's a fair point. There is also a lot of potential for the mega-blockbuster production to pull apart everything the series' creators have done to stay as loyal as possible to George R.R. Martin's books. However, it seems the author is actually quite thrilled by the idea of a Game of Thrones movie: In his blog, Martin wrote,

Sure, I love the idea. Why not? What fantasist would not love the idea of going out with an epic hundred million feature film? And the recent success of the IMAX experience shows that the audience is there for such a movie. If we build it, they will come. But will we build it? I have no bloody idea.

Martin just seems excited by the idea of making Westeros even bigger, even more fantastic, and even more immersive by taking it to the movies. However, if we've learned anything from Sex and the City to almost every Saturday Night Live sketch-turned-movie, it's that the transition from the small screen to the big screen isn't always an easy one.

In the right hands, though, a Game of Thrones movie could be epic. It could smash The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit to smithereens! It could make all of us say, "Luke Skywalker, who?" Here's how a Game of Thrones Movie could actually work:

If They Franchised It Into Character Stories

The film could do what Marvel is doing with the X-Men and Avengers, taking popular characters and giving them their own features. Naturally stories would converge and characters would cross into each other's films, until the mega three-and-a-half-hour final film. I reckon Arya Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, and Jon Snow would be the biggest sellers.

If It Tells One Focused Story

Since Game of Thrones is based on a series of novels, it would be impossible to get all, or even most of it right in one film. Thus, why the television series works so well. However, if the film told the saga of one battle, one kingdom, or one war that meshed all of the worlds, then it could be pulled off.

If It Was An Eddard Stark Origin Story

Since the movie can't (or shouldn't) re-tell what the series has already told, why not go back and tell us more about one of its most beloved characters? Long live Ned!

Images: HBO (4)