A few weeks ago we brought you the best look yet at the five-month construction project next to Titanic Studios and the Paint Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where Game of Thrones is headquartered. Today, we not only bring you the latest look at this King’s Landing set but also an exciting report on its unexpected future … on film?
Belfast Telegraph reports this addition to Titanic Studios has almost been completed — after almost half a year of work, which is reported to have required 1 million pounds.
The fortune behind this gargantuan set could be explained by the show’s merits alone. As profitable as Game of Thrones is for HBO, it can’t have been that difficult for the producers to convince the network to go out with a bang — that is, with a budget that allowed them to do things like this. But there may be other reasons behind the expense; perhaps HBO is looking for a higher —and continuous— return on their investment. Indeed, if Belfast Telegraph is correct, the King’s Landing set will not be torn down after filming ends, as it’s the norm, but instead maintained, with their on-set sources claiming HBO wants to use it as a tourist attraction and “for movie projects.”
Your initial reaction may be skepticism, as sets like these are not usually built to last. However, if you have been following this particular creation, you may have noticed there are more steel girders and beams and fewer scaffolding than usual. Maybe the crew just wanted a particularly sturdy set, which makes sense considering what we know will take place here … but, just maybe, they also wanted it to last. Of course, the rough and wet Northern Irish weather will decay the plasterwork facades in no time, but the Winterfell set has stood for years, requiring maintenance only once a year. As long as the facades are preserved, keeping the set as a tourist attraction may just be possible.
Its other reported post-Game of Thrones function is as intriguing as it is perplexing. “Movie projects” are cited — not TV shows. Does this indicate one of HBO’s prequel spin-offs may turn out to be an HBO film instead of a series? Or will HBO use the King’s Landing set for films that have nothing to do with the world of George R. R. Martin?
For now, we have more questions than answers. Reports of Disney taking over the Paint Hall for future Star Wars films may have something to do with these “movie projects,” but it’s too early to say for sure. Whatever the case may be, if Belfast Telegraph‘s sources are right, what’s perhaps the largest set in a long history of large Game of Thrones sets will live on beyond the show itself, and you may get to visit it someday!
Very Interesting Luka. No matter How you spin it, it’s exciting News. Do you think we are still getting Spin offs? It’s too lucrative to not do something like the Blackfyre Rebellion’s or Aegon’s Conquest right? They could even do something with Time Jumps! Thanks again for all your hard work. Excited to see you at Con of Thrones!
Hodurrrrr.
Azor Ahype,
I’m sure they’ll keep the cash cow alive as long as it provides them with a profit, like all other reboots, remakes, sequels, prequels, postquels, yada yada yada.
Would be a very cool privilege to visit the set though!
It’s sad that Game of Thrones is coming to end, but it’s great to know it’s not the end of that world in television. And movies? ASoIaF cinematic universe is coming on tv and cinemas.
What if the ‘movie project’ is Robert’s Rebellion? We know they aren’t doing a series of that, but with actors already cast for some of the key roles (Younger Ned, Howland, Lyanna and Aerys at the top of my head) it seems likely that an idea to do that in the next few years could be in place.
That’s probably just wording without specifics considered. It’s possible they could consider movies in this universe but for now I won’t thnk that they’ve abandoned the series idea. For whichever the project, building this “permanent” structure makes me think that they’re thinking ahead and have specific plans for its use in this franchise (among other uses).
What IS odd to me is that it’s built on a parking lot or space one would think is too valuable to have such a massive structure sitting unused for much of the time. *shrug*
Hello Kyle..Nice to see you there..WHAT IS HYPE MAY NEVER DIES..Those news today are so exciting..I think will get some spin-offs for sure..The first might be Aegons Conquest or Roberts Rebellion i guess[idk..just i quess]
Robert’s Rebellion would be a great 2 hour HBO movie. You’ve already got half of the cast from the TOJ flashbacks, you just need to nail the Bobby B casting and have him repeat half of the lines from season 1. Instant hit.
I’d still rather see them continue the series more than anything else, though. They could recast the actors, I wouldn’t care. I wouldn’t hold it against the original series if it isn’t as good. Still beats the heck out of Dancing with the Stars and Depressed Housewives of Atlanta.
Interesting news Luka and I’ll be glad to hear what it’s uses and functions will be when you get that news also! I don’t know if it would be profitable enough as a tourist attraction unless they turned it into an entire museum of the series. A set for other projects makes more sense but what projects? Hmmm
OT: Has anyone seen the movie Logan Lucky? Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig, and Adam Driver. Not a great movie but it was worth a watch while I was on a 6 hour plane trip. They had a great scene in there regarding GRRM ASoIaF books getting outpaced by the HBO show and everyone goes ape shit. I would add the link but I’m at work and YouTube is banned…
Whenever they have turned locations into tourist attractions, whether it’s in Northern Ireland or Spain, they also became small museums. So yeah, that’s probably the idea for this set. Perhaps, it could become the final resting place for the contents of the World Touring Exhibition; props, costumes, etc.
Is there any reason why my posts aren’t appearing on the thread?
Who cares about King’s Landing? I want them to preserve Winterfell.
I wonder if this might have to do with upcoming Westworld plans… They have hinted at a medieval world being another park in that show.
Thanks Luka. I’ll be keeping my beady eye on news of Disney’s plans for the Paint Hall. In my opinion any investment of this kind could only be a good thing – jobs, infrastructure, tourism – for the Great city of Belfast and NI.
Now, if a certain Delos Corporation would be interested… And say, announce the opening of a new Park… With certain Hosts you can interact with, perhaps… I’d most definitely sell the house and be on that next shuttle train.😉
“Do you know where you are, Delores?”
It will be interesting to see where all this leads.
Off-topic while I went past the small theatre in my town I saw a poster advertising a live broadcast of Julius Caesar from the (British) National Theatre. I’m not sure if it’s being broadcast to the local theatre or to one of the local cinemas. I noticed they have cast a female Cassius, namely one Michelle Fairley. It’s a modern dress version of the play so a female policitican doesn’t seem so dissonant – might be worth a watch.
Azor Ahype,
Hey Kyle, nice to see you here at WotW. We’re more love than hype, but it’s going to be great to see you, Gemma, Luka, Sue, and so much of the wider GoT community in May.
So timely, so apt! If Glenda Jackson could win an Olivier (or the Evening Standard award) for King Lear last year, why not cast Michelle as Cassius? Yon Stoneheart hath a lean and hungry look. I was actually at the opening performance of the NT (Albert Finney in Tamburlaine) but, alas, now rely on NT at the cinema. I look forward to that one.
very interesting, and the set is very impressive.
and maybe one spin off series and one Movie ?
I believe that would be awesome, can’t wait to hear more info on the spin off series.
Viz,
If Westworld creates android dragons in a new medieval world, that might be worth watching. I’d get on board for that. Make it a living fantasy world, how cool would that be. There’s nothing they couldn’t do. Krakens, Ice Spiders…
I’d rather they not. I don’t need or want that show trying to copy GoT for popularity and watering down the genre with a boring ‘fake world’ when we have a followup series to Thrones on the horizon.
Personally I do need that show to broaden it’s scope though. I like westerns and all, specifically Eastwood’s, but the facade of the west in Westworld tapped out for me already during S1. Unfortunately, from pictures being released it appears that most of season two is going to yet again revolve around the same world and the Delos facility. They’ve hinted at the existence of other worlds but I’m very doubtful about them getting into them (yet).
Azor Ahype,
Well it won’t be used for Aegon’s conquest because there was no Kings Landing during that time. Aegon created Kings Landing.
Clob,
I think we’re all gonna be in for a wild ride when S2 premiers. All the actors have been hyping it up immensely. And I believe it is pretty much all but confirmed that we’ll be seeing other parks in S2! Along with some of the outside world beyond the parks. So that’ll be awesome.
They will definitely also spend quite a bit of time in Westworld though, but the chaos created from the finale should make things quite different from the typical western setting in S1. I, for one, am so ready and hyped for this season. It is supposedly mind-blowing. I honestly think this is gonna end up being the biggest and most popular show since GoT (after it ends, of course).
Clob,
That being said I’d also hate for them to even come close to touching on GoT on that show. They could give us a Medieval World like in the movie but it better not have magical elements to it. Anyway Westworld doesn’t need anything like that, they are moving away from the park storylines somewhat so its just not needed.
I’ve been thinking about this more. As long as there’s still a series I’m on board with additional projects and timelines being portrayed in movies or shorter mini-series. Hey, if AMC can spin-off from one boring, cyclical series and run another unnecessary one simultaneously, then HBO can do it with something excellent. *zing*
Of course it depends on how GoT ends but sometime down the road I’d be up for a movie depicting some event our current characters (that live) deal with in the future.
Clob,
So you mean something like the Night King having to deal with the slave Masters from Essos when they realize that he is taking slavery to a whole new level? 😉
Soooo there’s also some excellent new pics of the set that came out yesterday.
Looks like they’re constructing the city gate archway
The set really is huge- and looks like there’s more buildings being constructed!
Apollo,
The set gets more interesting everyday, the details are awesome.
Maybe each of the towers will have a scorpion on top.
The articles also states:
“Franchise creator and legendary director George Lucas visited Belfast before Christmas to give his seal of approval to the city being used as a location.
However, the sci-fi saga will not arrive until the eighth and final series of Game of Thrones [. . .]”
I’m assuming this is referring to D&D’s recent announcement of their own Star Wars saga they will be producing post-GoT? It would make sense since they’re familiar with the studio and region. I love how the GoT and Star Wars universes are colliding.
Jaehaerys,
I like it! NK as a stressed-out bureaucrat.
Dame of Mercia,
Oh I love National theater Live! WE just saw Hamlet satrring Benedict Cumberbatch; think it was the best hamlet I have ween. . Also saw the Julius Ceasar poster but didn’t notice that she’s in it! I may just have to watch it.
Forgive the typos, dealing with the keyboard freezing….
Stark Raven Rad – I missed two previous NT broadcasts I wanted to see (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf with Conleth Hill and Yerma with Billie Piper) because my health was a bit off and then before Xmas I broke my arm crossing Asda (owned by Walmart) carpark when I fell on some black ice so I’ve only just got back to doing anything like socialising. I stayed out of any snow and ice even if it was only baby snow and ice because I was scared of going flying again. SRS, I think Ms Fairley could have pulled off LSH bur I guess the two Ds had to cut stuff out and make hard decisions. Being at the opening performance of the NT must have been fantastic. Ash, I also had problems with the typing going slow – so much so that I decided on the third attempt to type in Word and copy my comment over.
I’m a little late to read this one as for some reason the email notification ended up in my spam box (all other emails still come through from Watchers).
Anyway, I digress, I’m actually quite excited that the set will live on because despite living in the UK I’ve never visited Northern Ireland and this will give me the perfect excuse:)
Haha yeah I saw that movie on a return flight from India a few months back, nothing special but the reference to ASOIF/GOT was very amusing.