Movies from George RR Martin

What We Do in the Shadows

Vampire housemates try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
A few years ago at a film festival in Switzerland, Raya & I saw a little film out of New Zealand called WE DO IN THE SHADOWS that had us rolling in the aisles. Now that hilarious movie has become an equally hilarious TV series. Vampires in Staten Island!
Movies from George RR Martin

Blinded by the Light

In 1987, during the austere days of Thatcher’s Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family, and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
And for something completely different, there's BLINDED BY THE LIGHT, a lovely little feel-good film (based on a true story) about a Pakistani kid in Luton, England who becomes the world's biggest Bruce Springsteen fan. I think I've seen this one four times already.
Movies from George RR Martin

Captain Marvel

The story follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
The newest Marvel movie, CAPTAIN MARVEL, is a lot of fun.
Movies from George RR Martin

The Wrecking Crew

A celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew", a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Bing Crosby.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Just got back from THE WRECKING CREW. Great, just great. Made me want to put on my old albums.
Movies from George RR Martin

Excalibur

A surreal adaptation of Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur", chronicling Arthur Pendragon's conception, his rise to the throne, the search by his Knights of the Round Table for the Holy Grail, and ultimately his death.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
I mentioned Excalibur earlier. There's much to admire about John Boorman's film. The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the movie includes some wonderful performances.
Movies from George RR Martin

Harvey

The story of Elwood P. Dowd who makes friends with a spirit taking the form of a human-sized rabbit named Harvey that only he sees (and a few privileged others on occasion also.) After his sister tries to commit him to a mental institution, a comedy of errors ensues. Elwood and Harvey become the catalysts for a family mending its wounds and for romance blossoming in unexpected places.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Harvey, the gentle, whimsical 1950 film, based on a popular stage play, starring Jimmy Stewart and a giant invisible rabbit.
Movies from George RR Martin

Topper

Madcap couple George and Marion Kerby are killed in an automobile accident. They return as ghosts to try and liven up the regimented lifestyle of their friend and bank president, Cosmo Topper. When Topper starts to live it up, it strains relations with his stuffy wife.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
The fantasies of Thorne Smith are little read today, but were once very popular, and the 1937 film version of Topper (with Cary Grant) almost made my list.
Movies from George RR Martin

Raiders of the Lost Ark

When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Yes, of course it's a fantasy film. Unless you believe that the Ark of the Covenant really does have the power to melt Nazis. All of the Indiana Jones films have their moments (well, except for the last one, maybe), but Raiders stands head and shoulders above the rest. Lawrence Kasdan's screenplay was much stronger than any of the sequels, the concept was fresher, and Harrison Ford actually seemed to be having a good time playing Indy.
Movies from George RR Martin

Beauty and the Beast (1946)

Directed by Jean Cocteau, René Clément. With Jean Marais, Josette Day, Mila Parély, Nane Germon. A beautiful young woman takes her father's place as the prisoner of a mysterious beast, who wishes to marry her.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
No, not the animated film from Disney. (And not the CBS series I worked on back in the '80s either.) The 1946 French version, perhaps better known by its original French title, La belle et la bête. Written and directed by the legendary Jean Cocteau, this classic remains the definitive take on the tale, and helped to inspire Ron Koslow when he created his television version. In an era when depicting actual blood on screen was frowned upon, Cocteau had the Beast's hands smoke whenever he returned from a hunt, a lovely and poetic image that remains powerful today.
Movies from George RR Martin

Pan's Labyrinth

Living with her tyrannical stepfather in a new home with her pregnant mother, 10-year-old Ofelia feels alone until she explores a decaying labyrinth guarded by a mysterious faun who claims to know her destiny. If she wishes to return to her real father, Ofelia must complete three terrifying tasks.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Fascist Spain meets Faerie in this grim and gritty tour de force by writer/director Guillermo del Toro. Some terrific performances in this one: Sergi Lopez as the authoritarian, sadistic Capitan Vidal, Maribel Verdu as the housekeeper (and rebel spy) Mercedes, and young Ivana Baquero as the Capitan's dreamy stepdaughter Ofelia… but it is the creatures of the labyrinth and fairy world who make this film so memorable. Del Toro's visual style is as vivid and disturbing as it is unique.
Books recommended by George RR Martin
8 books

TOP-8 George R.R. Martin's Favorite Books

Here is a list of George R.R. Martin's favorite books. Enjoy!
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Here is a list of George R.R. Martin's favorite books. Enjoy!
Books recommended by George RR Martin
5 books

George R.R. Martin's Favorite Books

Here is a list of George R.R. Martin's favorite books. Enjoy!
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Here is a list of George R.R. Martin's favorite books. Enjoy!
Books from George RR Martin

Gone Girl

THE ADDICTIVE No.1 BESTSELLER AND INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENONOVER 20 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDETHE BOOK THAT DEFINES PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERWho are you?What have we done to each other?These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren't made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife?'Flynn is a brilliantly accomplished psychological crime writer and this latest book is so dark, so twisted and so utterly compelling that it actually messes with your mind' DAILY MAIL'A near-masterpiece. Flynn is an extraordinary writer who, with every sentence, makes words do things that other writers merely dream of' SOPHIE HANNAH, Sunday Express'You think you're reading a good, conventional thriller and then it grows into a fascinating portrait of one averagely mismatched relationship...Nothing's as it seems - Flynn is a fabulous plotter, and a very sharp observer of modern life in the aftermath of the credit crunch' THE TIMES'One of the most popular thrillers of the year is also one of the smartest... Flynn's book cleverly outpaces its neo-noir trappings and consistently surprises the reader.' FINANCIAL TIMES
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
THE ADDICTIVE No.1 BESTSELLER AND INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENONOVER 20 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDETHE BOOK THAT DEFINES PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERWho are you?What have we done to each other?These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren't made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife?'Flynn is a brilliantly accomplished psychological crime writer and this latest book is so dark, so twisted and so utterly compelling that it actually messes with your mind' DAILY MAIL'A near-masterpiece. Flynn is an extraordinary writer who, with every sentence, makes words do things that other writers merely dream of' SOPHIE HANNAH, Sunday Express'You think you're reading a good, conventional thriller and then it grows into a fascinating portrait of one averagely mismatched relationship...Nothing's as it seems - Flynn is a fabulous plotter, and a very sharp observer of modern life in the aftermath of the credit crunch' THE TIMES'One of the most popular thrillers of the year is also one of the smartest... Flynn's book cleverly outpaces its neo-noir trappings and consistently surprises the reader.' FINANCIAL TIMES
Books from George RR Martin

The Girl on the Train

THE RUNAWAY GLOBAL BESTSELLER***Includes a preview of Paula's scorching new thriller, A Slow Fire Burning ***'Gripping, enthralling - a top-notch thriller and a compulsive read.' SJ Watson, bestselling author of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEPRachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough.Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar.Now they'll see; she's much more than just the girl on the train...
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
THE RUNAWAY GLOBAL BESTSELLER***Includes a preview of Paula's scorching new thriller, A Slow Fire Burning ***'Gripping, enthralling - a top-notch thriller and a compulsive read.' SJ Watson, bestselling author of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEPRachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough.Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar.Now they'll see; she's much more than just the girl on the train...
Books from George RR Martin

A Tale of Two Cities

After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille the aging Dr Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil lanes of London, they are all drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror and soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille the aging Dr Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil lanes of London, they are all drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror and soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine.
Books from George RR Martin

Quillifer

“Walter Jon Williams is always fun, but this may be his best yet, a delight from start to finish, witty, colorful, exciting and amusing by turns, exquisitely written.” —George R. R. Martin From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Walter Jon Williams comes an adventurous epic fantasy about a man who is forced to leave his comfortable life and find his fortune among goddesses, pirates, war, and dragons.Rogue. Joker. Lover. Reluctant soldier. Quillifer is a young man, serially in love and studying law, when a family tragedy throws him into the world to seek his fortune. A charmer rather than a fighter, he soon finds himself embroiled with a bandit gang, caught up in vicious court intrigues, and the plaything of an angry, beautiful, and very jealous goddess. While he struggles to establish himself in the capital, the country finds itself pitched into a civil war, and Quillifer, a unwilling soldier at best, finds himself caught up in the action, and able to tip the scales of fortune. Quillifer, with its engaging hero and his exploits with lovers, brawlers, warriors, and privateers, is a book that bursts with life. It’s the first volume in a new epic fantasy by bestselling and award-winning author Walter Jon Williams.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Walter Jon Williams (his QUILLIFER books are terrific)
Books recommended by George RR Martin
5 books

Book Recommendations Part 3

For some readers I like to draw attention to the classics of our genre. It never ceases to amaze me to discover that some of my own fans have never heard of all the great fantasists who came before me, without whom A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE could never have been written...
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
For some readers I like to draw attention to the classics of our genre. It never ceases to amaze me to discover that some of my own fans have never heard of all the great fantasists who came before me, without whom A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE could never have been written...
Books recommended by George RR Martin
10 books

Book Recommendations Part 2

For some readers I like to draw attention to the classics of our genre. It never ceases to amaze me to discover that some of my own fans have never heard of all the great fantasists who came before me, without whom A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE could never have been written...
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
For some readers I like to draw attention to the classics of our genre. It never ceases to amaze me to discover that some of my own fans have never heard of all the great fantasists who came before me, without whom A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE could never have been written...
Books recommended by George RR Martin
10 books

Book Recommendations Part 1

For some readers I like to draw attention to the classics of our genre. It never ceases to amaze me to discover that some of my own fans have never heard of all the great fantasists who came before me, without whom A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE could never have been written...
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
For some readers I like to draw attention to the classics of our genre. It never ceases to amaze me to discover that some of my own fans have never heard of all the great fantasists who came before me, without whom A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE could never have been written...
Books from George RR Martin

The Institute

'It does everything you'd expect of a masterpiece - and it is one' Sunday Express'Hums and crackles with delicious unease' Independent'A captivating, hybrid novel that shape-shifts through several genres' The Sunday TimesDeep in the woods of Maine, there is a dark state facility where kids, abducted from across the United States, are incarcerated. In the Institute they are subjected to a series of tests and procedures meant to combine their exceptional gifts - telepathy, telekinesis - for concentrated effect. Luke Ellis is the latest recruit. He's just a regular 12-year-old, except he's not just smart, he's super-smart. And he has another gift which the Institute wants to use...Far away in a small town in South Carolina, former cop Tim Jamieson has taken a job working for the local sheriff. He's basically just walking the beat. But he's about to take on the biggest case of his career.Back in the Institute's downtrodden playground and corridors where posters advertise 'just another day in paradise', Luke, his friend Kalisha and the other kids are in no doubt that they are prisoners, not guests. And there is no hope of escape.But great events can turn on small hinges and Luke is about to team up with a new, even younger recruit, Avery Dixon, whose ability to read minds is off the scale. While the Institute may want to harness their powers for covert ends, the combined intelligence of Luke and Avery is beyond anything that even those who run the experiments - even the infamous Mrs Sigsby - suspect.Thrilling, suspenseful, heartbreaking, THE INSTITUTE is a stunning novel of childhood betrayed and hope regained.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Just finished the latest @StephenKing novel, THE INSTITUTE. Once again, the King comes through. I read every day, but most books I read slowly, a chapter or two a night. That doesn't work with Steve's work, never has. The moment I start one of his, I'm doomed to finish...
TV Shows from George RR Martin

The Expanse

A thriller set two hundred years in the future following the case of a missing young woman who brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship's captain together in a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Just saw online that SyFy has cancelled THE EXPANSE. It's a damn shame, especially for fans of space science fiction... of which I count myself one. It was the best space show on television, far and away. I hope its producers can find another home for it.
TV Shows from George RR Martin

Chernobyl

The true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history: the catastrophic nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A tale of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Binge-watched @HBO's CHERNOBYL. Terrifying, exciting, heartbreaking. If this one does not win a truckload of Emmys, there is no justice in Hollywood. And special shout out to the talented @JaredHarris for his amazing performance ...
TV Shows from George RR Martin

His Dark Materials

Lyra is an orphan who lives in a parallel universe in which science, theology and magic are entwined. Lyra's search for a kidnapped friend uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children, and turns into a quest to understand a mysterious phenomenon called Dust. She is later joined on her journey by Will, a boy who possesses a knife that can cut windows between worlds. As Lyra learns the truth about her parents and her prophesied destiny, the two young people are caught up in a war against celestial powers that ranges across many worlds.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Parris and I binged on HBO's adaptation of Philip Pullman's HIS DARK MATERIALS when I was back in Santa Fe, and loved it. Gorgeous production, great cast (loved Lin-Manuel as the aeronaut), and SO much better than the feature film. Plus armored bears...
TV Shows from George RR Martin

Nightflyers

In the year 2093, a team of scientists aboard the Nightflyer, the most advanced ship ever built, embarks on a journey to find other life forms. Their mission takes them to the edge of the solar system, and to the edge of insanity, as they realize true horror isn't waiting for them in outer space—it's already on their ship.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Oh… and I should also mention NIGHTFLYERS, which I hope some of you are watching as it rolls out on SyFy.
TV Shows from George RR Martin

Get Shorty

Miles Daly works as muscle for a murderous crime ring in Nevada and attempts to change professions and become a movie producer, laundering money through a Hollywood film with the help of washed-up filmmaker Rick Moreweather. Based on Elmore Leonard’s 1990 New York Times bestselling novel.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
In fact, GET SHORTY takes almost nothing from the novel and the movie beyond the basic premise. Normally, I would HATE that, but this show surprised the hell out of me. Truth be told — hold your breath, this is something you will almost NEVER hear me say — in this case the television show is BETTER than the book.
TV Shows from George RR Martin

The Last Kingdom

A show of heroic deeds and epic battles with a thematic depth that embraces politics, religion, warfare, courage, love, loyalty and our universal search for identity. Combining real historical figures and events with fictional characters, it is the story of how a people combined their strength under one of the most iconic kings of history in order to reclaim their land for themselves and build a place they call home.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
I’ve also enjoyed the hell out of THE LAST KINGDOM, the television series based on the Uhtred books.
TV Shows from George RR Martin

Sharpe

Sharpe is a British series of television dramas starring Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars. Sharpe is the hero of a number of novels by Bernard Cornwell; most, though not all, of the episodes are based on the books. Produced by Celtic Films and Picture Palace Films for the ITV network, the series was shot mainly in Turkey and the Crimea, although some filming was also done in England, Spain and Portugal. The series originally ran from 1993 to 1997. In 2004, as part of ITV's new set of drama, ITV announced that it intended to produce new episodes of Sharpe, in co-production with BBC America, loosely based on his time in India, with Sean Bean continuing his role as Sharpe. Sharpe's Challenge is a two-part adventure; part one premiered on ITV on 23 April 2006, with part two being shown the following night. With more gore than earlier episodes, the show was broadcast by BBC America in September 2006. At a book signing in Bath on 11 October 2006, Bernard Cornwell revealed that there were plans by ITV to film two more episodes. Filming was supposed to start in April, but was postponed due to the resignation of ITV's chief executive, at which point production was pushed back to September. However, Sean Bean was unavailable due to other commitments, so production was postponed once more. When asked about the stories, Cornwell said that he believed that they were producing two new stories specially for television. It was announced that filming Sharpe's Peril, produced by Celtic Film/Picture Palace, began on 3 March 2008 in India. The first part was broadcast on ITV on 2 November 2008 with the second part shown a week later. Sharpe's Challenge and Sharpe's Peril were broadcast in the US in 2010 as part of PBS' Masterpiece Classic season.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
His Sharpe series was classic (and the television version was the first place I ever encountered the talents of Sean Bean).
TV Shows from George RR Martin

The Big Bang Theory

The sitcom is centered on five characters living in Pasadena, California: roommates Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper; Penny, a waitress and aspiring actress who lives across the hall; and Leonard and Sheldon's equally geeky and socially awkward friends and co-workers, mechanical engineer Howard Wolowitz and astrophysicist Raj Koothrappali. The geekiness and intellect of the four guys is contrasted for comic effect with Penny's social skills and common sense.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
“Big Bang Theory,” I think is my favorite current comedy. There’s really more good TV shows than you can watch.
TV Shows from George RR Martin

The Deuce

The story of the legalization and subsequent rise of the porn industry in New York’s Times Square from the early ’70s through the mid ’80s, exploring the rough-and-tumble world that existed there until the rise of HIV, the violence of the cocaine epidemic and the renewed real estate market ended the bawdy turbulence of the area.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
HBO does incredible shows — “The Sopranos,” “Rome,” “The Deuce.” I love all of those.
TV Shows from George RR Martin

Rome

A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
HBO does incredible shows — “The Sopranos,” “Rome,” “The Deuce.” I love all of those.
Music from George RR Martin

Janis Ian

George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
I knew her songs decades before I met the singer, though. I had… have… her albums. (Albums… there were large discs made of vinyl, with music on them. You played them on this thing called a turntable. We still have one of those as well). If you’re my age, you know her hits: Jesse, Society’s Child, Between the Lines, Boots Like Emmy Lou’s, When the Party’s Over, Watercolors (a personal favorite)… there are so many… and of course, At Seventeen.
Music from George RR Martin

Grateful Dead

George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
And the music… well, words can never truly capture the feel of great music, as I discovered long ago when I wrote my rock novel, THE ARMAGEDDON RAG.
Music from George RR Martin

Suzanne

George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
Back in the day, when I was young and music was good, a number of my short stories were inspired by lyrics in my favorite songs. “Suzanne” was the inspiration for my short story “Bitterblooms,” which remains one of my favorites to this very day.
Music from George RR Martin

Leonard Cohen

George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
There was a certain time in my life when I listened to Cohen’s SONGS OF LOVE AND HATE album obsessively, drowning in his voice and his words. That was in the Age of Vinyl, and I believe I wore out several needles on that one.
Music from George RR Martin

Garden Party

George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
As Rick Nelson says in Garden Party, one of my favourite songs, "you can’t please everybody, so you’ve got to please yourself.”
People recommended by George RR Martin
5 people

Favorite Authors

George RR Martin names 5 great authors he likes most.
George RR Martin
Writer, Screenwriter
George RR Martin names 5 great authors he likes most.