Game of Thrones was a phenomenally successful TV show that ran for eight years, from 2011 to 2019. The show was so influential that it transcended the high-fantasy genre. Audiences worldwide praised Game of Thrones for its brilliant writing and unforgettable characters. Even the most ardent fans would agree the series did not end on a high note. Nevertheless, the show’s impact cannot be overstated, and audiences still discuss standout moments, character decisions, and motivations to this day.

George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels and the TV show seem like ideal candidates for a movie adaptation. However, unlike Serenity, for example, which is set after the events of the Firefly TV show, the Aegon’s Conquest movie is set hundreds of years before Game of Thrones. Fans of the show are looking forward to seeing characters they’ve only heard about in the show take the spotlight.

Expectations are likely to rise as the movie approaches its targeted 2029 release. It’s too early to tell if the movie will become a beloved fantasy epic. Still, the project could take several lessons from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which remains arguably one of the greatest in the genre.

Peter Jackson’s epic three-part series introduced audiences to some of the most well-known fantasy characters. The movies are widely regarded as the gold standard in the genre, hence why there are lessons to be learned from it for the upcoming Aegon’s Conquest.

Give Heroes And Villains Time To Be Multidimensional

The breathtaking environments, epic battles, and triumphant set pieces are all elements that make The Lord of the Rings so beloved. Characters like Frodo, Aragorn, and Gandalf are household names. Of course, few movie franchises boast source material as rich as J. R. R. Tolkien’s works, but the trilogy takes the time to develop every major character.

Heroes and villains in Middle-earth are surprisingly deep. Frodo, for example, is on a quest to cast the One Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. He’s also not perfect. We know he feels isolated on his mission, despite Sam’s support. The toll of being the ringbearer is clear, which is why we also understand his empathy for Gollum, even if we disagree. Aragon’s motivations are also similarly multilayered, and we empathize with his reservations about becoming the rightful king.

Game of Thrones has wonderfully fleshed-out, well-written characters, though it establishes them over multiple episodes. The Aegon’s Conquest movie will need to establish its heroes and villains within a movie timeframe in a way that will satisfy fans of the show and newcomers.

Make The World Feel As Important As The Story

Great characters are an integral part of any high fantasy epic, but the world and environments can play a massive role in the story. This is especially true in The Lord of the Rings. There’s so much attention to detail, and every area is entirely different. The Shire feels like a whimsical village and a haven away from the perils outside. The Mines of Moria are unforgiving and claustrophobic as the Fellowship learns more about the horrors within.

Every environment is like an entity of its own, and they matter in the lore far beyond their surface appearance. For example, Fangorn isn’t just a forest. It’s ancient, ominous, and even our courageous heroes are reluctant to venture inside.

The Game of Thrones TV show also pays great attention to its landmarks. Fans know Westeros and places like King’s Landing and Castle Black. They also notice the striking differences in Braavos or Meereen. We will have to see if that attention to detail extends to locales in Aegon’s Conquest.

The Spectacle Is Better When It Feels Earned

One luxury The Lord of the Rings trilogy has over so many other fantasy epics is that it was always meant to be a three-part saga. The movies take time to establish so many elements that make Middle-earth feel alive because they have hours to do so. The famous battle of Helm’s Deep may never be topped, and one major reason is that most of the 2nd movie’s runtime is spent preparing for the encounter.

Similarly, the Battle of the Blackwater in Game of Thrones is so brilliant because we know the motives and backstories of so many key characters as they clash. Grand spectacles, like massive-scale battles, have a much greater impact when they feel earned. Movie-goers have experienced similar build-ups in other genres, which is why Avengers: Infinity War is such a dramatic spectacle.

A grand war or battle doesn’t necessarily need multiple hours of backstory to be effective either. 300, for example, quickly establishes its main characters and the Spartans as they clash with the Persian army. The assault on Nottingham Castle in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is incredibly impactful because we care about the characters, even if we can guess the ending. Fans of Game of Thrones can already make some assumptions about what may happen in Aegon’s Conquest, but those climactic battles work so much better with solid groundwork.