HBO’s hit show, Game of Thrones, is notorious for its unsatisfying conclusion, yet many fans overlook its bumpy beginning. Initially, the series faced numerous challenges, one of which was a significant mishap during the filming of the first episode, which almost derailed the entire production. The pilot episode had to be completely reshot with minimal footage retained in the final version, and even today, the unbroadcast original pilot for Game of Thrones remains unseen. This re-shoot underscores the unprecedented grandeur of this series and HBO’s confidence in its potential success. Here’s a look at the history behind the controversial first pilot of Game of Thrones.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss found themselves captivated by George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series as early as 2006. Inspired, they promptly started developing a television adaptation, even though the fourth book in the series, “A Feast for Crows,” was only published in November 2005, and the fifth book, “A Dance with Dragons,” didn’t come out until July 2011. This early work on the adaptation occurred during the time leading up to the premiere of “Game of Thrones” on HBO in April 2011.
In my perspective, when George R.R. Martin was meticulously guarding the film rights of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” he had reservations about its cinematic adaptation. He had deliberately chosen to return to novel writing to steer clear of the financial constraints, production schedules, and other limitations that often accompany movie-making. However, Benioff and Weiss managed to persuade Martin with their compelling pitch, especially when they revealed HBO as their preferred platform for the series. The show was then put into development by HBO in 2007, and a pilot was commissioned towards the end of that year.
The First Pilot’s Legacy
In 2009, the first pilot episode for what later became “Game of Thrones” was filmed with a budget estimated to be anywhere between $5 million and $10 million. During casting, some major characters like Catelyn Stark (played by Jennifer Ehle) and Daenerys Targaryen (portrayed by Tamzin Merchant) were chosen instead of Michelle Fairley and Emilia Clarke respectively. Those who got a glimpse of this early version claim that the aesthetic and overall mood were quite distinct from the series we eventually saw on screen.
For quite some time, the only information fans had regarding this unbroadcast pilot was its poor performance during test screenings. However, it appears that it wasn’t shown to focus groups but rather critiqued by internal reviewers at HBO. Most of the details we heard came from a 2016 interview with Benioff and Weiss in Vanity Fair, where they humorously referred to their “awful” pilot. It was said that it was HBO who requested a reshoot, along with changes to the cast and director team.
As “Game of Thrones” concluded, creating a vast emptiness in popular culture, the unbroadcast pilot sparked curiosity among fans who were eagerly scrutinizing every aspect related to the series. Furthermore, James Hibberd’s 2020 book, “Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon: Game of Thrones and the Untold Story of the Epic Series“, provided additional insights into it. Many of the specific details we now know are based on interviews in that book.
Known Differences
Based on accounts from people who watched the initial pilot in 2009, one reason given for recasting Daenerys was because Merchant lacked good screen chemistry with Jason Momoa. However, this explanation now seems questionable as Khal Drogo doesn’t have a significant ongoing role in the story. At that time, it was unclear if the pilot would even become a series, let alone run for eight seasons. On the other hand, Ehle apparently felt that the show would demand too much commitment since the cast had to reside in Northern Ireland for extended periods during filming.
It’s been pointed out that replacing the directors was a more substantial shift than any actor swaps. For instance, newcomer Tom McCarthy as a TV director was replaced by HBO veteran Tim Van Patten for the pilot. Audience members seemed to think that McCarthy found it challenging to navigate the epic fantasy genre. To illustrate this, reports suggest that an initial edit of the series downplayed the importance of the direwolves found outside Winterfell by Robb Stark and Jon Snow. One of the writers, Bryan Cogman, recalled himself running around the set shouting: “These are direwolves! No one has seen these in a million years! This is like seeing dinosaurs! It’s not like finding puppies!
As a passionate film enthusiast, I had the pleasure of conversing with Mark Addy, the captivating actor who brought King Robert Baratheon to life. In an intriguing revelation, he shared that during the original pilot, no one knelt upon his arrival at Winterfell – a decision that, in his words, made it challenging to convey royal power and authority. He explained, “For a king to command respect, people must offer it by demonstrating subservience. This submission should be granted to me by others.
Additionally, other actors also shared amusing comments about their initial costumes. Jack Gleeson mentioned that the first pilot featured Joffrey with a bowl cut he wasn’t fond of, while Lena Headey recalled Cersei originally sporting an updo and a lot of fur attire. Harry Lloyd reminisced about his short silver wig as Viserys Targaryen in the early stages, finding it difficult to maintain a serious demeanor with that hairstyle.
Initially, the main criticism of the initial episode was that despite its high cost, the settings didn’t reflect it. The grandeur of the castles, palaces, and Dothraki caravan wasn’t fully captured, and there were few shots that gave a sense of the real Westeros. This issue was addressed in the re-shoot, resulting in one of the show’s key features: a vivid and immersive portrayal of its settings.
Impact on the Story
These modifications now seem trivial looking back, but they significantly altered the story’s tone for some viewers. They felt that the initial pilot missed capturing the show’s political intrigue, which is arguably its most distinctive feature. The issue lay in the fact that crucial dialogue was edited out to make discussions sound more casual, however, this also left viewers lacking key details. For instance, the original pilot didn’t hint at Cersei and Jaime being siblings, so their sexual encounter at the end of the episode comes across as an affair instead of a shocking revelation.
Simultaneously, the original pilot version of the show featured a brief appearance by George R.R. Martin as a Pentoshi nobleman during Daenerys’ wedding to Drogo. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, he was unable to revisit the set for reshoots. Regrettably, Martin didn’t return to the series after that, but he later made an impressive cameo in “House of the Dragon.
‘Lost Media’
It appears that the remake of the Game of Thrones pilot was undoubtedly beneficial, based on general consensus. However, despite this, numerous fans remain intrigued about the possibility of viewing the initial pilot out of curiosity. Unfortunately, as far as we’re aware, it has never been broadcast, shared, or leaked. Any copies of the episode are believed to be in HBO’s possession, and they have shown no indication of releasing it publicly.
The intrigue lies in deciding if we should watch this pilot, as there’s no definitive response. Some consider it an undocumented artifact – material not officially saved for future generations. Yet others view it as a preliminary version, arguing that artists have the right to conceal their early attempts and present their public only with polished final works.
The curiosity surrounding this unproduced pilot might stem from fans eagerly seeking new content in a series that’s been stalled for quite some time. As previously noted, “A Dance with Dragons” was published in 2011, marking the most recent novel in the main saga of “A Song of Ice and Fire.” The sixth book, “The Winds of Winter,” has been in development for almost 14 years, yet fan excitement for it continues to increase due to the TV show. Fans have even constructed theories and forecasts from seemingly minor details like anonymous descriptions of an unproduced pilot for the “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “Bloodmoon,” indicating that this unproduced pilot could certainly ignite discussions among fans as well.
It seems the unbroadcast version of the “Game of Thrones” pilot won’t be shown anytime soon, but the entire series can be streamed on Max. Additional behind-the-scenes materials and special content are included in the show’s Blu-ray and DVD versions. This year, a spinoff series titled “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” will debut on HBO and Max, with “House of the Dragon” Season 3 following next year. George R.R. Martin’s books are accessible in print, digital, and audio formats, and he continues to focus on completing “The Winds of Winter“.
Game of Thrones can be streamed on Max.
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2025-03-08 17:21