Game of Thrones inspires a Nat Geo Wild wildlife epic miniseries

By Stephanie Topacio Long July 29, 2015

nat geo wild big game of thrones wildlife miniseries baby lion national geographic — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Game of Thrones‘ influence is everywhere, even on Nat Geo Wild. The network has plans to bring a wildlife epic miniseries to viewers, calling it Big Games of Thrones, Variety reports. Spanning six episodes, the show will focus on warring animal tribes.

Big Game of Thrones is said to include everything from battles to betrayals, as well as show how predators and prey are interconnected. It’s no wonder the Nat Geo miniseries has been compared to HBO’s epic series; in spite of the vastly different setting and premise, the similarities are certainly there. Unfortunately, the clever series name isn’t going to stick. Geoff Daniels, EVP and general manager of Nat Geo Wild, highlighted in a statement that Big Game of Thrones is only a working title and joked that HBO can call off its legal team.

“When we developed the series, we immediately saw the parallels with Game of Thrones and the name stuck as our working title,” said Daniels. “It is a natural fit for our story of the kings of the savannah fighting for the throne, complete with brutal violence, unexpected deaths, surprising characters, and even inter-family romance.”

The National Geographic sister network has been able to build storylines by filming its subjects over an extended period of time. “We are trying to up the ante even more by following a several animal clans for years, giving each character and their stories a unique voice like the most riveting scripted dramas but, of course, this is totally unscripted,” said Daniels to Variety. Based on the stunning footage the team has filmed so far, Daniels believes it “has the potential to be a game changer.”

Big Game of Thrones (with its new title) is expected to debut in 2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephanie Topacio Long

Contributor

Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…

Entertainment

How House of the Dragon saved Game of Thrones’ tarnished legacy

Alicent and Rhaenyra clutch each other in House of the Dragon.

May 19, 2019, is a date branded on the pop culture lexicon. The finale to Game of Thrones, the television phenomenon that single-handedly revitalized the fantasy genre and redefined what "event television" meant, aired to the collective disappointment of millions of fans. The show's decline in quality had begun in season 7, with some questionable choices happening as far back as season 5, but the train wreck that was season 8 was beyond words. Consistency went out the window in favor of spectacle, resulting in a rushed season that reduced the world's greatest TV show into a sad shadow of its former self.

The controversial finale put a seemingly permanent stain on Game of Thrones. In the years leading up to its conclusion, HBO expressed interest in creating a franchise based around George R. R. Martin's World of Ice and Fire. However, the episode's terrible reception put the network's plan in doubt, with many wondering if the Game of Thrones brand was in a healthy enough place to support a franchise. Things got worse when the first spinoff, starring Naomi Watts, got unceremoniously axed -- even after shooting a $30 million pilot -- spelling doom for the would-be franchise. Alas, not all was lost; GoT still had an ace up its sleeve, and it was called House Targaryen.
Mother of Dragons

Entertainment

Game of Thrones deserves to be a great video game like Elden Ring

Tyrion and Daenerys on Dragonstone with Rhaegal and Drogon on either side.

After the generational success that Game of Thrones brought the overall HBO brand, the face of original premium TV has begun a broader expansion of the dark fantasy world of author George R. R. Martin with House of the Dragon. The prequel has reinvigorated the strengths of the flagship show, with more projects underway -- including the Jon Snow-led sequel series. But aside from more TV prequels and a sequel, as ambitious as that all sounds, the video game medium should be something else that's at least on HBO and Martin's radar.

Given the tumultuous merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery, it's hard to say what the likes of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will look like in the near or distant future, but the world of A Song of Ice and Fire is teeming with a mythology that would lend itself well to gaming. Whether it's through the roleplaying or real-time strategy genres, there are plenty of avenues developers can take this IP.
The Elden Ring factor

Entertainment

The 10 most powerful Game of Thrones characters ever, ranked

Daenerys and Jon meeting together in her room.

House of the Dragon ended its hugely successful first season with an episode that included everything, from plots to steal the Iron Throne to dragon battles and a violent death. In short, it was just another day in Westeros. Yes, House of the Dragon was a resounding success, but it owes much of it to Game of Thrones. The show that single-handedly revived the fantasy genre and redefined what the word "spectacle" meant in television, GoT was a game-changer.

The show conquered fans' and critics' hearts with a successful mix of political intrigue and good, old-fashioned drama; there was nothing like it on television or film. Game of Thrones featured a seemingly endless parade of morally-dubious characters vying to seat on a pointy chair, and we couldn't get enough of them. Indeed, the pursuit of power was at the heart of GoT, with every major player wanting to get their share of the glory. But what is power in Westeros? Varys said it best: it's an illusion, a shadow on the wall. And these characters certainly cast a very large shadow. Whether because of their resources, armies, gold, or charm, these figures were the most powerful in Westeros and the beating heart of the game of thrones.
10. Jon Snow