Game of Thrones: ‘The rise and fall season,’ says David Benioff

We’re still more than a month away from the beginning of season three of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” but it’s definitely on the horizon. There’s a new teaser trailer (below), which shows a number of scenes being filmed.

And there are the short interviews. Peter Dinklage talks about how many characters get killed off. “There are a lot of tremendous new characters coming forward,” says executive producer/writer D.B. Weiss, “and we’re very excited about the way that new blood shakes up the picture.”

Executive producer/writer David Benioff promises, “This is the rise and fall season. Because there are so many characters who come into the season with power of some kind who lose everything, and others who enter with almost nothing and achieve great power.”

“Game of Thrones” is based on the bestselling fantasy series by George R.R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire. Martin published the first book, “A Game of Thrones,” in 1996, and has sometimes frustrated readers by taking his time in completing the next in the series. They are, however, massive books, intricately woven. The other books in the series -- so far -- are “A Clash of Kings,” “A Storm of Swords,” “A Feast for Crows” and “A Dance with Dragons.” Two more are said to be in the works.

After almost two years in hardcover, “A Dance with Dragons” will be released in paperback in May. That’ll be right in the middle of HBO’s season three of “Game of Thrones.”

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