While Game of Thrones was a bit controversial towards the end of its original run, it could have been a lot more polarizing as executives at HBO’s former owner asked if the fantasy series could be shot vertically so that the episodes could be watched on phones.
In a new article from The Wall Street Journal, the outlet notes that executives from AT&T asked Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss whether the series could be shot vertically “so it would fit on your phone.” According to WSJ, AT&T also “openly discussed” making “snackable” mini-episodes for Game of Thrones.
“Dysfunction kills more projects than anything else, whether it’s interpersonal dysfunction or institutional dysfunction,” Weiss told the WSJ.
AT&T owned HBO’s parent company, WarnerMedia, in 2018. However, ownership lasted only briefly, as WarnerMedia and Discovery announced in 2021 that both companies were merging in a deal worth $43 billion.
“When you sign a five-year deal with a company, you want that company to be stable so you can be left alone to do your work and not have to worry about it being bought by the phone company,” Benioff added. “Finding the smoothest ride in the ocean was key.”
Yet, that was not the only experiment with the series that never saw the light of day, as Benioff and Weiss revealed that it pitched HBO execs into doing three theatrical films to conclude the series instead of making 13 episodes that spanned across the final two seasons before being reminded by executives that they were making a show for “Home Box Office.”
The interview with the showrunners was part of a profile for Benioff and Weiss’ upcoming series 3 Body Problem, which will premiere on Netflix on March 21.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.