‘Game of Thrones’ author: TV series ‘might need a feature’ film

HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is one of the more epic series to grace the small screen, with warring kings, fire-breathing dragons and legions of icy supernatural beings lurking in the shadows. According to “Thrones” author and executive producer George R.R. Martin, the scope of series is so grand it could outgrow its television roots and make the leap to the movie screen.

“It all depends on how long the main series runs,” Martin told the Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of the show’s fourth season in New York. “Do we run for seven years? Do we run for eight? Do we run for 10? The books get bigger and bigger. It might need a feature to tie things up, something with a feature budget, like $100 million for two hours.”

He added, “Those dragons get real big, you know.”

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The event validated Martin’s claim. Held at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, its every blood-gush, dragon descent and ale-fueled jousting sequence elicited a loud chorus of cheers from the assembled. Effects-driven moments in particular played well on the big screen.

Of course, it’s unlikely HBO would want to, er, slay the golden goose with a movie too soon. HBO series’ can spawn movies — including the two “Sex and the City” pictures and the upcoming “Entourage” film — but it’s usually more as a revival, a few years after the series has gone off the air.

Based on Martin’s bestselling “A Song of Ice and Fire” books, “Game of Thrones” tells the sweeping story of the warring factions of the medieval society of Westeros as well as the otherwordly forces creeping in from the margins. The show, whose new season debuts April 6, has proven a marquee attraction and a critical darling for HBO, attracting a devoted fan following and garnering numerous awards and nominations.

Martin also said his series of three prequel novellas, “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” are candidates for big-screen treatment. “They could be the basis for [a film],” Martin said. “I have written these three stories, and I have about a dozen more.”

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