Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Is there any particular reason that the TV show has to finish the same way that the book does?
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I can't imagine George just volunteering the spoilery info that thousand of book fans have been speculating about (and slavering over) since the early '90s on a whim. I assume that HBO knowing the broad-strokes of the ending was part of the contract George agreed to in order to get paid. And also because ... let's face it, they're (HBO) already starting to sail into uncharted waters. So they needed the ending so they could plan and start filming the upcoming seasons that will leave the books behind. Why would they be planning for an ending that they're not going to use? They would have started deviating madly long ago if George's ending was not the goal.
I suppose they're not
contractually obligated to finish the same way as he outlined, but I can't imagine them intentionally passing on the biggest money-making "scoop" to come down the fantasy-genre path in decades either. They've deviated slightly here and there (often for the better--shorter) from the books, but they've seemed more than willing so far to stick largely to George's plans for the characters. I don't see that changing.
No, I believe that if the ending to the TV show is wildly different to that of the book series (when and if the books get completed), it will be because
George deviated from the ending he originally revealed to them, not vice-versa. And I honestly don't think he has that kind of gear-shift ability in him at this point in the game.
I honestly believe that a big part of why George agreed to let them do the show (apart from the scads of money, of course) and gave them his broad plans for the ending up front, was that he was hoping that the show breathing down his neck would help keep him on point. Motivation. But I don't think it panned out that way.
Either that, or he just flat-out punted. "Here, you end it. I'll be along later--and under no pressure."