George R.R. Martin, creator of "Game of Thrones," shared that recent TV and film adaptations have gotten worse than their original material due to producers and writers wanting to "own" stories.
Martin revealed that the adaptations are not getting better regardless of the original author of the story because of attempts to improve it.
'Game of Thrones' Creator Shares Thoughts on Declining Quality of Adaptations
In a blog post, Martin claimed that the chances of making a worse adaptation are observed 999 times out of 1,000 times. The popular writer also expressed that someone will always think that they can do better than the original author when adapting from a novel.
"'The book is the book, the film is the film,' they will tell you as if they were saying something profound. Then they make the story their own," he added.
According to Martin, screenwriters and producers would often attempt to make the source material their own creation, leading to a different narrative once adapted.
George R.R. Martin Praises 'Shōgun' Adaptation
On the contrary, the writer had nothing but praise for the recent adaptation of "Shōgun." Martin shared that once in a while, audiences receive a good adaptation of a good book. He also stated that the show deserved an applause.
Martin revealed that he was first dubious upon hearing its adaptation, citing the success of the 1980s miniseries of the book. However, the author noted how both old and new screenwriters of "Shōgun" managed to honor the source material and resisted the temptation to make it their own.
Earlier this year, Martin confirmed that an animated version of "A Song of Ice and Fire" is currently in the works at HBO. While the project has yet to receive its green light, "House of Dragon" continues to be popular among fans.
