HBOWatch has gathered some interesting tidbits of Game of Thrones news that has hit the internet this week. Included is a first look at two new characters for Season Three and an interview with show-writer Bryan Cogman. No big spoilers or production news, other than a snapshot of what could be a spectacular VFX scene if the speculation is true. We’ll get into that later, but for now, here is a rundown of the latest news and information relating to the Third Season of Game of Thrones:
- First Look at Daario and Missandei
Thanks to the excellent reporting from Game of Thrones fan-site WinterIsComing.net, we have an official first look photo of two new characters for Season Three: Daario Naharis and Missandei. What is particular interesting, and somewhat troubling, is that Daario’s vibrant blue hair and beard described in the novels hasn’t been included in HBO’s adaptation. I’m sure most purists are completely outraged at this change, especially when you consider how integral he is to Dany’s storyline, which has been deviated quite a bit from book accounts. In my opinion, the blue hair wouldn’t have translated well on screen. The mood of the show is too serious for a guy looking like a Smurf walking around, and that’s not even considering how awful it would look against the desert colors of the Moroccan filming location. For a very good take on the no-blue hair situation, check out HBOWatch writer Serena’s take over on her personal blog, Kissed-by-Fire.com.
- New Set Photo Reveals Possibility of a Promosing VFX Scene
Twitter user @marymoconnell took this picture of the Game of Thrones set in Ouarzazate, Morocco. From the picture, we can see what appears to the Unsullied standing while surrounded my filming equipment. What’s instantly noticeable is what looks like giant green screens attached to boom-lifts. Could these be used to film a certain scene involving the dragons? Book readers will know what i’m referring to, but no confirmation has been given, so anything else is merely speculation. It does look promising though.
- Writer/Producer Bryan Cogman Talks Game of Thrones
In a recent interview with The Mary Sue, show-writer Bryan Cogman talks about his book “Inside HBO’s Game of Thrones” and answers some questions about the show. Here are a few excerpts from the interview:
“The Mary Sue: Bryan, thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us. We really appreciate it. First, Inside HBO’s Game of Thrones is an absolutely gorgeous book, but then again, you had gorgeous material to work with. What was your favorite part of putting it all together and what was the hardest?
Bryan Cogman: Thank you very much, I’m glad you like it. Yes, the folks Chronicle Books did an outstanding job putting the book together. And, you’re right, it was embarrassment of riches to work with — we had thousands of photographs to sort through, the vast majority of which were taken by Helen Sloan, our enormously talented unit photographer.
I think my favorite part of putting all together was connecting one by one with our cast and crew. Of course, I work with them every day but it was nice to sit down and engage with them about their feelings and memories about the show. The hardest part was most certainly the time constraints — I only had a few months to get it all done and I was working on it in Belfast in the middle of shooting Season 2.”
“TMS: Who’s your favorite character in the show and, if you have a different answer, who’s your favorite character to write? Is there a different favorite from the books?
BC: Very hard to choose — I’ve been living with them for so long, I have great affection for all of them (and the actors who portray them). I had a great time writing Theon in Season 2 and I’ve really enjoyed writing Jaime in Season 3. And I always like writing for the kids. There’s a character I love from the books — Aeron Damphair, who we haven’t seen on the show yet, but it’d be fun to get a crack at him. We’ll see.”
“TMS: Inevitably in adaptations, beats or entire plots are altered to enhance the story but sometimes it feels as if the changes are arbitrary to the point that hardcore fans wonder why they were made in the first place. Of course there’s the simple changes like Osha/Asha that were made so as to not confuse audiences, but then you have Daenerys’ time and actions in Qarth that were altered significantly from the novel. Do you ever consider how fans will react to such changes?
BC: With all due respect to the fans, there is never a single change on this show that’s “arbitrary”. Every change is debated and discussed at length and there’s always a good reason — be it creative, budgetary, etc. D&D [Benioff & Weiss] make decisions in the adaptation based on what’s best for the show. Of course, I’d love everyone to love every bit of the series, but you can’t please everyone all the time.”
Author’s Note: The Third Season Premiere is in 149 days! Filming in Morocco is set to end on Nov. 6, then it’s off to Iceland for Night’s Watch stuff. HBOWatch will keep up up-to-date with production news as it comes out.
