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HBO enters one of the most important years in its history.
The premium cable network offers the most anticipated televised event of the year: the last season of the fantasy drama Game of Thrones, which has become a phenomenon of pop culture. This will join the second season of cherished awards Big Little Lies – with Meryl Streep! – as well as the last season of Veep new cycles of Westworld, Barry and Damon Lindelof, interpreted by the beloved graphic novel Watchmen among a series including buzzy Euphoria.
With the mandate to make more of the new parent company AT & T, HBO programming president, Casey Bloys, plans to increase by 50% the number of people in the company. originals (see scripts, talk shows and documentaries), as is controversial. These plans also include an HBO premiere: a series of prequel Game of Thrones . The drama, currently at the pilot stage with star Naomi Watts, is the first time the cable returns to the well of one of its originals. And it's an offshoot of what Bloys calls "one of the best TV history shows."
The Hollywood Reporter met with Bloys on Friday during a winter press tour with the Television Critics Association. about his Michael Jackson doc Quit Neverland, HBO's expansion plans and how he takes a slow, specific approach to developing the Game of Thrones franchise ].
You have set a first for Leaving Neverland . Given the Jackson estate's claims that it's "a tabloid badbadination", do you have any concerns about its spread?
Not at all All I ask is that anyone who writes or thinks about it look at it and reserve judgment until they see it. It's a very powerful documentary.
Are you ready to face potential reprisals – or lawsuits – from the estate? [We have] no plans not to broadcast it.
After the screening of Sundance and the comments of the estate, did HBO president Richard Plepler or AT & T director John Stankey discuss the possibility of to hold to the controversial document?
No. Let's be clear: what controversy? There were two demonstrators at Sundance. Reserve your judgment, watch for it and decide it yourself.
And if the demonstrations intensified?
We stick to that. It's very very powerful.
Are you going to meet the real estate estate Jackson, given the 10-page letter they've recently published and that says they do not take into account the journalistic ethic ?
No. The letter does not change anything. The show is broadcast. This does not change because of the letter and I ask everyone to look at it and decide for itself it's a very very powerful documentary, and I think that once they will have seen, they will understand.
So you have no interest in making an appointment with Jackson Estate?
No. It is not planned to take a meeting. We are broadcasting the documentary and the letter will not change anything.
You have one of the biggest televised events of the year in April with the final of the Game of Thrones series. What kind of impact did the show have for HBO, both as a network and as a brand?
One of the best shows in the history of television. We are happy to be the proud home. We could not be happier with how it works for the network and how it resonates within the culture. Obviously, we will miss it. But we are very proud of what the guys have accomplished with the show.
Can you put into words what Game of Thrones did in a broader and broader sense for HBO?
We are proud of all the shows we make, but Game of Thrones is a very good example of [a series] that is well designed, well done, well written, well directed; we hope this will allow other creators to see how we do things, the money we are going to spend, the creative freedom we are expanding. This is a good reminder for the kind of shows we would like to do.
And for the larger landscape, Game of Thrones is a worldwide phenomenon that is broadcast all over the world. merchandising, an advertisement for the Super Bowl … Si The Sopranos was HBO's reference to illustrate its network role of delivering award-winning premium content, which Game of Thrones created for you ?
Say it differently! ( Laughs .)
What is the latest news about the Prequel driver and other scripts under development?
We are planning a filming date early in the summer for the pilot and excited us. SJ Clarkson directs. All advance. Were excited. No other project will pick up anything until it's launched and then we'll think about it if there's another one we want to do. We just want to launch this one, test it, and then consider other options.
Have you seen the scenario of the other Game of Thrones stemming from ramifications of development?
I saw some . ( Laughing .) We are really focused on the choice of the pilot and on the shot.
How would you describe your plan for the continuation of Game of Thrones franchise? If AMC releases a version of The Walking Dead quarterly, do you also want to do it?
It's a big world and a great PI. We will do the pilot, see how it goes. Is it possible that we do another? Perhaps . But I do not want HBO to become a broadcast network just Game of Thrones or Game of Thrones . It must be said that Game of Thrones has been an incredible spectacle for us, but we are creating a much more diverse list, so we are not in a position to have to obtain the . ] The Game of Thrones franchise is operational or the lights go out at HBO.
So you do not want to do anything that dilutes the mark?
One does not go all-in-one Game of thrones all the time. I think it would be crazy not to try the prequel and see what else there is because George RR Martin has created this amazing universe and there are many places where you can go. But we want to be careful not to overdo it. One of the things that Richard and I have been doing for the last three years is to diversify the list so that we do not have to be in a position where there is only one program defining the network. When people ask themselves the question: "What are you going to do after Game of Thrones ", I think, look, when Game of Thrones was created in 2011, it is an extremely different medium You will see that Game of Thrones will be replaced by a more varied programming. It will not be a show. I do not know if it is possible to launch a gigantic like that again in this media environment. Who knows! But for us, what makes sense is that we have a lot of programming that affects many subscribers. If you look, over the past year, we had Westworld, estate, sharpshoes, true detective, my brilliant friend …
And coming, you have prestigious shows like Watchmen –
We have Watchmen, Euphoria, Big Little Lies season two … we try to keep a complete and varied slate. Honestly, it's the future opposed to a show setting the mark. We have a new show of Danny McBride, we have Succession season two, His Dark Materials with the BBC,
Chernobyl – which is excellent.
[1965 How will you use the last season to launch your next slate?
Obviously, it's an excellent promotional platform for us. You will see trailers for many upcoming shows later in the year. Barry will come after, which, in my opinion, is an excellent platform for that. But honestly, it's the promotional time during broadcasts, and I guess you'll have a very good idea of all the broadcasts in the second half of the year.
As part of AT & T's mandate for WarnerMedia Streaming Service Plans, could you have a prequel on HBO and a second on this platform?
I focus on the pilot prequel. There is no great plan to propose a series of emissions … I do not think it is the best use of intellectual property for us. We like to do things a little more selectively. This is not the direction in which we are heading.
If successful, you like the prequel.
I have no idea.
Where will the Game of Thrones Library live with the WarnerMedia SVOD platform?
Within HBO. This is for HBO subscribers. This will be in the HBO part of the WarnerMedia platform.
HBO expands its activities to Monday as part of the order by AT & T to create more originals. How would you describe the budgets you work with now compared to those you have had in the past?
In better health! ( Laugh .) From a budgetary point of view, I will not go into the details. But in terms of hours, that's 50% more. The important thing to note about the expansion of programming is that it is all the programming we would have done if we had scheduled only on Sunday. We do not do any programming that we would not have done five years ago. All the programming is of high quality and interesting. … we do everything we've done [programming and genre-wise] we're just lucky to be able to do more.
This interview was edited and summarized for clarity . 19659044] TCA | Association of Television Critics
Game of thrones
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