'Game Of Thrones' Author George R.R. Martin Announces Pilot Script Order For New Series 'The Skin Trade'
'Game of Thrones' creator George R.R. Martin has announced that his werewolf novella The Skin Trade has received a script order from network Cinemax. The story first appeared in the horror fiction compilation Dark Visions in 1989 and was hailed by critics as one of the best werewolf stories ever written.
Writing on his official blog, Martin said, “I am very excited to announce the Cinemax (HBO's sister company) has optioned the television rights to The Skin Trade, the offbeat werewolf noir novella I penned back in the late 80s. The deal is closed, and Cinemax has ordered the pilot script.”
“This being Hollywood, of course, you never know where things will end... but if they like the script, we'll shoot a pilot, and if they like that, hey, who knows, maybe we'll get a series on the air. Which would be very cool.”
More: George R. R. Martin Defends 'Game Of Thrones' Continuing Plot Divergences
"I have always thought there was a TV series (or maybe a feature film) in Willie Flambeaux and Randi Wade.,” the author added. “Those of you who know the story of Doorways, my ill-fated ABC pilot from the early 90s, may even recall that it was Skin Trade that I was actually trying to sell back in 1991, when I flew out to LA for a round of pitch meetings. So we're a few decades late.”
Describing the series' plot Cinemax wrote, "A collections agent who happens to be a werewolf and his friend, a private investigator, discover a dark secret behind a series of grisly murders in their decaying industrial city."
Martin will executive produce the series alongside ‘Once Upon A Time’ writer Kalinda Vazquez who will also pen the script. Executive producing will also be Mark B. Newbauer of Mike the Pike Productions along with Vince Gerardis, Paul Sansone, Rich Angell and Lisandro Cruz.
More: 'Game Of Thrones': New 'The Winds Of Winter' Released Online By George R.R. Martin
The author added it was not easy trying to pick who would pen the pilot’s script as he was unable to do it due to his commitment to the next ‘Game of Thrones’ book. “Cinemax and my agents set me up for meetings with close to a dozen different Tv writers, many of them very impressive, but Kalinda's take on the story and the characters blew me away.”
“She loves the story and the world, and really seems to get Willie and Randi, and her pitch to Cinemax was one of the most polished and professional I've ever heard. I love her enthusiasm, and look forward to working with her,” Martin said.