AT&T execs wanted HBO's 'Game of Thrones' to be shot vertically

One of the biggest series in recent times could have looked very different if top executives had gotten their way. Conversely, the creators had envisioned a movie trilogy. They have since partnered with Netflix.

HBO and Warner Bros were once under the ownership of the telecommunications giant AT&T, and the telecom executives attempted to wield influence over creative decisions in the production of Game of Thrones.

This revelation came from the series' creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, during an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

- "Benioff and Weiss, who have been friends since grad school, weren't crazy about HBO’s then-owners, AT&T, whose executives once asked whether 'Game of Thrones' could be shot vertically so it would fit on your phone. The company also openly discussed the idea of snackable mini-episodes of the series," wrote WSJ.


 Would you rather watch Game of Thrones in 9:16 (vertical) or 16:9 (widescreen)?
No black bars policy
HBO previously had a longstanding internal policy of shooting and mastering all content to avoid black bars, meaning a 16:9 aspect ratio, or 1.78:1.

In 2019, HBO departed from its policy for the first time with the release Chernobyl in 2.0:1 aspect ratio and Westworld in 2.39:1 and 1.78:1. Although AT&T owned HBO between 2018 and 2022, there is no indication that AT&T played a role in this change.

Conversely, Benioff and Weiss wanted to conclude Game of Thrones with a movie trilogy instead of the final two seasons. However, HBO rejected the proposal saying that HBO stands for "Home Box Office", not "Away Box Office."


Jumping from HBO to Netflix
The interview with WSJ, where the creators reflect on their time at HBO, also touches on Benioff and Weiss's decision to move from HBO to Netflix.

Their collaboration with Netflix officially begins on March 21 with the release of the sci-fi series 3 Body Problem, adapted from the Chinese book of the same name.

Benioff and Weiss explain that inflexibility was one of the key factors in their decision to part ways with HBO. Stability was another. HBO and Warner were under the ownership of AT&T until 2022 and has subsequently merged with Discovery. Rumors about another merger, this time with Paramount, are already circulating.

- "When you sign a five-year deal with a company, you want that company to be stable so you can be left alone to do your work and not have to worry about it being bought by the phone company," David Benioff told WSJ.

- Source: Wall Street Journal via Variety