A commenter that goes by Belfaster (from Belfast, natch) has stated that HBO is moving forward on set construction and the like and that it appears they have given the green light to Game of Thrones.
I can confirm without reveling sources, that the pilot has been given the green light, due to HBO activities in Belfast, booking items and services for the next several years.
Services that tie in with the set construction(s), they have been asked for a quote for the next year, invoice has been sent, payment has been made. It is happening folks, and it is killing me that I cannot tell you how I know this and what I have seen. I promise, as soon as they announce, I’ll spill. But they are taking their time doing it, I know they have already approved the pilot, and are already getting things in motion for a first season shoot !
HBO, for their part, has not made anything official yet. A little earlier today they tweeted this in response to a fan asking about the status on Thrones.
No news yet on Game of Thrones. As soon as there’s official word it will be announced here and on Facebook. Promise.
Winter Is Coming: The rumors continue to swirl. Where there is smoke there is fire though, right? Also notice the phrasing used by HBO in their tweet, “as soon as there’s official word” not “if there’s official word.” Certainly sounds like a decision has already been made and we’re just waiting for the official announcement. Of course, I may just be reading too much into a Twitter post from someone who has nothing to do with green lighting anything. In any event, with March only one day away, we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer for confirmation.
You guys and your dirty thoughts 
))) I even do...
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96 Comments
Wahoo! Please let this be true. I get the feeling that a publishing date for Dance isn't that far off either. Just think next year we may have a pilot/season 1 to watch & a new Song of Ice & Fire book to read.
FluffsQuote Reply
Cool, looks like that sourcenator Michael may have just been a troll after all. Flagrant HeroQuote Reply
~crosses fingers~ Pierce VanderBentQuote Reply
Congratulations for everyone involved and/or following Game of Thrones SERIES! bojujuQuote Reply
Four words:
Giddy like a schoolgirl.
lol Wyatt DornQuote Reply
I have a strong feeling that the decision is allready made. (whatever it is).
If Belafaster is not a troll, all the things he said, are pretty logic and understandable.
As I said earlier, it is time to gear up by HBO (if the colour is GREEN), because it is just three months to the beginning of the filming (end of june). The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
First off — HBO has not seen the second cut, so absolutely no decision has been made. Take that to the bank. Michael SourcenatorQuote Reply
Obviously, there are several possibilities here:
1) Both Michael and Belfast are trolls, and we don't really know anything.
2) Michael is a troll, Belfast is telling the truth, and the series is a go.
3) Belfast is a troll, Michael is telling the truth, and HBO hasn't made a final decision yet.
4) Permutations of 1, 2, or 3, but rather than being trolls, Michael and/or Belfast have simply gotten bad information.
5) Michael is telling the truth and Belfast is telling the truth. Some of the powers-that-be are waiting for the second cut before making a decision, but someone else involved in the production has already signed some contracts to get things into place, banking on the fact that the series will get picked up and prepared to eat it if that turns out not to be the case.
Pick your favorite and debate, because until something comes down through official channels or people start feeling comfortable naming their sources so WIC can cross-check it's just words on paper at this point.
Hopefully, we won't have much longer to wait. @sgnpQuote Reply
Er, words on screens, I suppose. New technology and all that. Carry on. @sgnpQuote Reply
Ha ha ha
It is getting more and more interesting here.
Maybe HBO have not seen the second cut yet, but why would they start to pay the bills in Ireland if they are not going to shoot. (It is my reply to the Paul s point 5).
The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Oh God! Please, please, plese let this be true! I WILL get piss-drunk to celebrate if this turns out so!
This would be awesome…I know we still have to wait for official word, but there is nothing wrong with hoping… loco73Quote Reply
This is what I'm told: HBO is waiting on the second cut. That's when the decision will be made. I am not aware of anything that Belfast is saying. Michael SourcenatorQuote Reply
So, Michael, can you ask your frineds when they are expecting the screening of the second cut will take place? The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Exciting. How early do HBO start putting out teaser adverts for new shows? Nathan OliverQuote Reply
Just want to hear a positive official news. They can take as much time as they need to greenlight it, I just don't want it to go otherwhise
SA_AvengerQuote Reply
I can't say much else… but… uh…
They may have found their Tywin.
Michael SourcenatorQuote Reply
Just to clarify so people don't jump down my throat: this actor has not been officially cast. He simply a favorite of the production. And — it hasn't been greenlit, so it's all mute, but if ends up a 'go', he's probably our Tywin. Michael SourcenatorQuote Reply
I think that they havent got so much time, of course they can reschedule the start of the filming.
I speculate, of course, because I do not pretend to know much.
It is just a conclusion due the time they took for making the pilot.
The auditions for the main roles strated some 5 months before the filming.
And now (if the fact of the end of june is correct) we are some 3 and half months prior the filming.
But, will see, fingers crossed! The_Rabbit01Quote Reply
Patrick Stewart? Nathan OliverQuote Reply
green light it already damnit. We all know it's going to be awesome StuQuote Reply
So anxious now! RerQuote Reply
I assume rumours are only going to get more involved as the date (not pinned down anyway) nears
exciting to follow all this. Looks very positive for now! Marko HladnikQuote Reply
If this is the case that it's all but official, then who will be cast later? There is a lot of talk of who should be cast as Littlefinger. I would like to see James Callis in that role. @alicelouise58Quote Reply
For Lord/King Stannis Tom Hardy would be a great choice.
Lord?king Renley? One of the Jonas brothers or Ashton Kutchner? @alicelouise58Quote Reply
Ser Davos the Onion Knight? Colm Meany all the way! @alicelouise58Quote Reply
I'm so anxious!
But, OTOH, I am very sceptical about things random people say in the comments. This is my 15th year on the internet and I have already seen all the sorts of gossips, rumours and hoaxes. @anacarolinarsQuote Reply
I've been setting myself up for disappointment ever since it was announced that HBO had bought the rights.
Prepare yourself, heartbreak incoming
SmoggyQuote Reply
I think both Michael and Belfast are truthful, more than likely the top HBO execs haven't seen the final cut, but maybe the editors and post production directors have been able to hit the mark on what the execs wanted for the final pilot cut and lower execs have seen this and given the production the ok to start acquiring everything necessary (studio bookings, materials for sets, rental of equipment, extras) on the basis that the top dogs will be happy. Michael mentions they have there Tywin, and since he doesn't appear till 2nd season, this means the rumor of a 3 or more season order will have been given.
On another note, it appears Showtime has their counter to Games, apparently their next series will center around the Borgias and hasn't Games been likened to the Borgias politcal, court, sexual intrique and wartime strategy. JonasQuote Reply
"Michael mentions they have there Tywin, and since he doesn't appear till 2nd season, this means the rumor of a 3 or more season order will have been given."
Tywin appears prominently in several chapters in the second half of 'A Game of Thrones', and will certainly appear in the first season. JackSparrowQuote Reply
Seriously, if they don't find a good role for Kevin Costner, then I'll probably kill myself. You cannot have a MidEvil world, and not throw a bone to the Cost! …best British accent ever NealQuote Reply
My mistake its been awhile since I read Games again, I always think of Tywin appearing in the 2nd book when he comes to Kings landing, Thanks Jack, I forgot that Tyrion comes across him at the inn and Tywin first appears on page 611 of my voyager uk edition. Better read up on my books again, before I make further posts, hopefully when I finish Games again by next week, the announcement will have been made. JonasQuote Reply
Showtime already has its anwser, namely the Tudors. In that sense the Borgias is a reaffirmation that the medieval drama is an upcoming gerne, which is only in Game of Throne's favour. Sparq Quote Reply
Fifteen years on the Internet … man it makes me shudder to think of those early days of free AOL CDs, glad we have all moved past that now. Frank JohnsonQuote Reply
I'm inclined to believe both of our "inside" posters have some element of truth, either knowing someone involved or being directly involved themselves. Since there are probably a large number of people working on such a project, it allows for a decent amount of speculation and interpretation on the parts of the production crew themselves.
There's really only one thing to do, and that's wait for the official word. As ASOIAF fans, this is something we are already quite good at. Frank JohnsonQuote Reply
Look (from Argentina)
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/23/espectacu...
ArgentinaQuote Reply
That's funny, it's almost exactly 15 years since I first got on it, too. Right when I came back from Winter Break at college in early 1995, there was this new icon on the desktop of the computers in our computer lab called 'Netscape.' "Hmmm, what's that," I said, and clicked it… BrudeQuote Reply
Sourcenator, thank you for hanging around and responding promptly to people accusing you of "Trollism". ButterbumpsQuote Reply
OT-ish: Fantasy Flight Games has just announced the upcoming release of their spanking new Battles of Westeros board game. I see this as a positive omen for the TV series. MatsQuote Reply
more speculation? enough already. cast felecia day as ygritte and get to filming already. i want to see "Winter Is Coming to HBO" trailers in December of this year people so chop chop.
but if i had to pick a rumour monger to believe i have to say imo it is much more likely that somebody in belfast who worked on the pilot thru some 3rd party company is already in the know about more work they have been ordered to do for the show itself. we had tons of belfast folks on this here blogety blog during the pilot many of whom were involved at least peripherally with the production. you cannot move ahead with a season or two of a tv show without getting your ducks in a row first … and ducks quack.
as for posters with ubiquitous "friends who know friends inside the inner sanctum of HBO" .. meh. not impossible but i wouldn't be a Klondike bar on it either. Who Is Jacopo BelboQuote Reply
Fingers are officially crossed. Tyler MetcalfeQuote Reply
Jacopo Belbo was one of the main characters from Foucault's Pendulum. That book is awesome. NealQuote Reply
You are being facetious, aren't you? Cuz you can't be serious. Have you not heard his "British" accent from Robin Hood Prince of Thieves? Sable Cornell CrowQuote Reply
that is because Umberto Eco is a genius and an amazing writer. of both fiction and non fiction. nice to see there are still literate people in the world. Who Is Jacopo BelboQuote Reply
A recent pic of Sean Bean turned up on Twitter, reposted on Sean Bean Online fansite and discussed ad nauseum, shows Sean, recently finished filming his scenes for Cleanskin is growing his beard and hair out again. Should be perfect length and looking like it did when the pilot was shot by first of June. Sable Cornell CrowQuote Reply
I'll be in my bunk……………. Steven ScottQuote Reply
Apart from Sword of Storms being split up into 2 books in the UK version (called "Steel and Snow" and" Blood and Gold"), I think the all the US/UK versions are identical text wise. Sparq Quote Reply
Apologies for the slightly off-topic post, but that article from Argentina reminded me of a matter that I had always wondered about in relation to the books themselves – are there any differences in the TEXT between the different versions of the books, or is it just different covers/formatting/size etc? HostylQuote Reply
seeing how early march starts tommorow, im prolly very certain that HBO has already made its descision to either move forward or not – even though there were smoe changes needed in the pilot. it was most likely a "this is a greenligh if the following issues/changes are adressed" and it would make perfect sense if things were being rented and paid for now because they are going to need to have things constructed and ready for this supposed june start date…i strongly think HBO has greenlit, but have yet to make their official confirmation to the public, just so they can maintain the early march announcement that they declared months ago.
if not, then ima be a sad puppy georgeQuote Reply
Here's hoping for the official green-light soon, oh and as far as Ser Davos – Tommy Flanagan!!! cygnusQuote Reply
Omg, yes times 1000 for Tommy Flanagan! He would be sublime as Davos! Stella MarisQuote Reply
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