Game of Thrones, one of the most successful books and television series of all time, has captivated audiences worldwide over the past two decades.
The dragons, white walkers, battles, and betrayals created by author George R. R.
Martin have enthralled fans, immersing them in a world of such depth that it seems to have ensnared the entire globe.
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However, while Martin continues to craft his conclusion for the final Game of Thrones books, fans may be surprised to learn that an unassuming and somewhat lacklustre 80s sci-fi film is responsible for the creation of the Game of Thrones universe.
Martin himself has acknowledged that he owes his career to this film, despite its critical failure, reports the Express.
1987’s Nightflyers could be the reason Game of Thrones exists -Credit:The Vista Organization
Before the publication of the first Game of Thrones book in 1996, the now celebrated author began releasing a series of short stories and novellas, and in 1980, he penned the Sci-Fi horror Nightflyers.
Set in a distant future where humanity has been at war with an alien species for thousands of years following the collapse of an empire, the story follows nine academy graduates on a mission to find alien technology that could unlock interstellar travel, but their journey takes a sinister turn.
While the story, part of a larger sci-fi collection written by Martin, was relatively well received, it didn’t reach the vast audiences that his later fantasy tales would attract.
However, when a Hollywood studio decided to adapt Nightflyers into a film, it transformed Martin’s fortunes and laid the groundwork for the illustrious career he enjoys today.
The story was rebooted for a Netflix show in 2018 -Credit:The Vista Organization
Although it remains unclear where producer Robert Jaffe initially discovered the tale, Martin was delighted to sell the rights when approached, with a film materialising just a few years afterwards in 1987.
Penning thoughts on his online blog, the writer disclosed how the movie established his career, saying: “It’s a film that I have very warm feelings toward.
“Nightflyers may not have saved my life, but in a very real sense, it saved my career, and everything I have written since exists in no small part because of that 1987 film.”
Whilst the picture failed to impress critics or cinema audiences alike, it succeeded in raising Martin’s profile, though with merely 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, it might be best avoided.
On the review platform, one review said: “Terrible movie about an inexplicably enormous spaceship, in the distant 21st Century”, with a skeleton crew. The movie is held together by only the barest semblance of a plot and, for the most part, plays out like a daytime soap opera.
“A television revival emerged in 2018 for SyFy and Netflix, yet similarly to the initial movie, viewers found themselves underwhelmed once more. Regardless of contemporary special effects, the series managed only 38% on Rotten Tomatoes and was branded “pure trash” in a GQ critique.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source uk.style.yahoo.com ’
