The series is based off George R.R. Martin’s best-selling “A Song of Fire & Ice” series of novels. The title “Game of Thrones” is from the first novel in the series.
While Sci-Fi has gained a lot more respect on TV, fantasy has still been a big gamble. Even series like Roar which starred Heath Ledger didn’t last long on Fox. Another problem is that fantasies tend to cost way too freakin much to do well.
Martin plans seven books. If HBO picks up the project to series, the producers intend for each novel to encompass a season.
Optimists are pointing to Buffy, Pushing Daisies, and True Blood as examples proving that this might just work.