Why the Game of Thrones Creators Rejected a Fortune
Weiss and Benioff's decision to decline a lifetime of guaranteed income from Game of Thrones spinoffs showcases their artistic integrity and the pursuit of creative freedom over financial gains
Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have revealed the reason why they chose not to continue with the franchise after the main show concluded, despite the opportunity for ongoing financial gain. Although they would have been entitled to producer credits on future spinoffs, starting with House of the Dragon, as the original TV show creators, the duo decided to decline, much to the surprise of HBO's legal representatives. "HBO was a bit perplexed," Benioff shared with The Hollywood Reporter. "I recall their attorney saying, 'It's just money, we'll simply pay you.'"
Weiss emphasized that there is no such thing as free money. Even if they were no longer required to produce any additional Game of Thrones episodes in order to receive royalties, their names would still be associated with the series, something they wanted to avoid.
"We felt that having our names attached, even while being completely detached and uninvolved, would bring unnecessary stress with a hands-off approach. The potential for success or failure of the show was not worth the strain," Weiss explained.
HBO has already released one Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, which is scheduled for its second season this year. In addition to this, HBO is working on several other Game of Thrones shows, encompassing both live-action and animation.
Weiss and Benioff are doing well financially, having signed a $200 million deal with Netflix to produce various content, including the upcoming sci-fi series 3 Body Problem.
During the interview, the pair also addressed the criticism of the final season of Game of Thrones, with many viewers feeling that it was rushed and not of the same quality as previous seasons. Benioff expressed disappointment that not everyone enjoyed the final season, but acknowledged that he can't change that. He also mentioned the dangers of becoming too absorbed in public opinion. Weiss added that feedback, whether positive or negative, has a negative and unsettling aspect to it.
After completely stopping to read fan feedback for Season 8, the ambient stress level in our lives decreased by about 50 percent overnight," Weiss stated, revealing that he last googled himself in 2013.
Weiss also noted that when meeting Game of Thrones fans in person, their expressions tend to be calmer. "There's a shift from human interaction to online that tends to escalate things in a specifically aggressive direction," he added.
Weiss and Benioff also recently discussed their failed Star Wars movie and revealed what went wrong in their partnership with Lucasfilm.
Editor's P/S
As a hard fan of Game of Thrones, I was initially disappointed when I learned that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would not be involved in any future spinoffs. However, after reading their reasoning, I have come to respect their decision. It is clear that they value their artistic integrity and creative freedom above financial gain. They did not want their names to be associated with a project that they were not fully involved in, and they did not want to be burdened with the stress of potential success or failure. I believe that this decision shows their dedication to their craft and their commitment to creating high-quality content.
I also appreciate their candor in discussing the criticism of the final season of Game of Thrones. While I understand that some fans were disappointed, I believe that Benioff and Weiss did the best they could with the material they had. They were faced with the daunting task of adapting a complex and sprawling series of novels into a television show, and I think they did a remarkable job. I am grateful for the many hours of entertainment that they have provided me, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
