'Game of Thrones' creators set to leave HBO
Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss' time at HBO will soon be coming to a close, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The duo, who created and served as showrunners on the premium cable network's megahit, are inching closer to a new overall deal elsewhere as they continue to take meetings across town and narrow the field for their new home. Sources say Benioff and Weiss have had meetings for a sizable overall deal with Amazon Studios, Netflix and, more recently, Disney/FX. Representatives for all media companies declined comment, as a deal is far from done.
Sources say Amazon Studios had been the front-runner until two weeks ago, when Netflix re-emerged with a competitive offer. Disney has also entered the conversation more recently, as some say the new super-sized Mouse House could be offering a TV deal with FX Productions to go alongside a film pact with the company. Benioff and Weiss are already in business with Disney, working on a Star Wars trilogy for Disney-owned Lucasfilm.
Sources say Benioff and Weiss are seeking a deal worth as much as $200 million as they attempt to surpass the $150 million pact Westworld creators Lisa Joy and Jonah Nolan signed with Amazon in April. Joy and Nolan's five-year agreement is estimated to be worth in the $30 million per year territory. When factoring in payouts from Warner Bros. TV to remain showrunners on three additional seasons of HBO's Westworld, Joy and Nolan's deal clocks in at $200 million.
Benioff and Weiss, with Game of Thrones now in the rearview mirror, are said to want to focus on building up their company. Any new deal with the duo would likely have to include overhead costs to set up a production company. The bigger question about Benioff and Weiss is going to be just when they would have time to focus on new projects, given their commitment to writing a Star Wars trilogy for Disney.