Authors George R.R. Martin and Neil Gaiman have both stepped into the TV industry to produce adaptations of their own novels, and they can agree on one thing: it's good for creators of adaptations to remain faithful to the source material.

On Thursday night, the two held a conversation about their work at New York City’s Symphony Space, speaking about their careers and Martin's new book, The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One.

“How faithful do you have to be? Some people don’t feel that they have to be faithful at all," Martin said, according to Variety's recap of the event. "There’s this phrase that goes around: ‘I’m going to make it my own.’ I hate that phrase. And I think Neil probably hates that phrase, too."

“I do,” Gaiman said. “I spent 30 years watching people make ‘Sandman’ their own. And some of those people hadn’t even read ‘Sandman’ to make it their own, they’d just flipped through a few comics or something.”

While the duo agreed that the people behind adaptations often dishonor their source materials, Martin later clarified that it's impossible for adaptations to stay fully faithful.

“There are changes that you have to make — or that you’re called upon to make — that I think are legitimate," Martin said. "And there are other ones that are not legitimate.”

“Why is the Iron Throne in ‘Game of Thrones’ not the Iron Throne as described in the books? Why is it not 15 feet high and made of 10,000 swords? Because the ceiling in our soundstage was not 15 feet high," Martin added. "We couldn’t fit in in there, and they weren’t willing to give us St. Paul’s Cathedral or Westminster Abbey to shoot our little show in.”

Martin recalled working on an adaptation of Roger Zelazny's The Last Defender of Camelot, and that he was given a choice between including horses or a more elaborate set. Martin's solution was to call up Zelazny, who suggested the show scrap the horses.

Changes to the original source material have long been a major point of contention for fans of Game of Thrones, who have debated everything from the absence of Lady Stoneheart to a particularly controversial moment at the end of House of the Dragon's eighth episode.

The Sandman, by comparison, has been quite a bit more faithful to the original comics. This is in part because Gaiman took on a direct role in developing The Sandman, which we gave a 9 in our review. Martin, for his part, also continues to have an active role in House of the Dragon, which we also gave a 9.

Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they've contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.

A second WandaVision spin-off is reportedly under development, this one set to feature the return of Paul Bettany's Vision.

Deadline reports that the new series will be called Vision Quest, and that it will potentially feature Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff. Some within Marvel are apparently calling it the "White Vision project," after the version of Vision that appeared in WandaVision's climactic moments.

If Vision Quest comes to fruition, it will join Agatha: Coven of Chaos as the second series to spring from the success of WandaVision. Both shows will be overseen by Jac Schaeffer, who served as WandaVision's creator, writer, and executive producer.

WandaVision has provided fertile creative ground for the MCU. As the first of the Disney+ MCU shows, it gave rise of a popular villain in Agatha Harkness, and it tied directly into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That movie left fans with a number of major questions, which could be answered in Vision Quest.

In IGN's review of WandaVision, we called it a "bold and experimental TV outing" for Marvel. "Free to write its own rules, WandaVision goes to places few would have expected the world’s biggest popcorn franchise to explore, and more often than not its themes of the grief and love between Wanda Maximoff and Vision help it find its footing."

The writer's room is reportedly set to open next week for Vision Quest, after which we may get some clarity on whether this series actually happens. In the meantime, Marvel Studios is focusing on Secret Invasion, which is set to be released sometime in Spring 2023.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

A second WandaVision spin-off is reportedly under development, this one set to feature the return of Paul Bettany's Vision.

Deadline reports that the new series will be called Vision Quest, and that it will potentially feature Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff. Some within Marvel are apparently calling it the "White Vision project," after the version of Vision that appeared in WandaVision's climactic moments.

If Vision Quest comes to fruition, it will join Agatha: Coven of Chaos as the second series to spring from the success of WandaVision. Both shows will be overseen by Jac Schaeffer, who served as WandaVision's creator, writer, and executive producer.

WandaVision has provided fertile creative ground for the MCU. As the first of the Disney+ MCU shows, it gave rise of a popular villain in Agatha Harkness, and it tied directly into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That movie left fans with a number of major questions, which could be answered in Vision Quest.

In IGN's review of WandaVision, we called it a "bold and experimental TV outing" for Marvel. "Free to write its own rules, WandaVision goes to places few would have expected the world’s biggest popcorn franchise to explore, and more often than not its themes of the grief and love between Wanda Maximoff and Vision help it find its footing."

The writer's room is reportedly set to open next week for Vision Quest, after which we may get some clarity on whether this series actually happens. In the meantime, Marvel Studios is focusing on Secret Invasion, which is set to be released sometime in Spring 2023.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

After Fortnite's success eclipsed Paragon, Epic shut down the MOBA's servers just two years after the game's beta release. Now, thanks to free assets from the game on the Unreal Marketplace and a trademark agreement with Epic, Paragon is making a return four years later, albeit under a new title and new ownership.

As pointed out by PC Gamer, Paragon: The Overprime is a Paragon rework that's being developed by the South Korean studio Netmarble. The free-to-play title is currently in open beta until November 21. It's headed to Steam and the Epic Games Store in the near future, but it's unclear when the full game will release.

According to Paragon: The Overprime's Epic Games Store page, when released, it will function as a live service game, with new heroes being added over time.

"We invite you to Prime where the space opera of a symphony of heroes echoes across the universe," the game's tagline reads.

Epic released $12 million of Paragon assets for free on the Unreal Marketplace when Paragon's servers closed. A few other games have utilized its assets since their release in 2018, though this marks the first time Epic has granted a studio permission to adopt Paragon's branding.

Epic initially shut down Paragon's servers in 2018 shortly after slowing its development to focus on Fortnite. Before its demise, we called Paragon "equal parts strikingly beautiful and exciting to behold" in our 2016 preview.

Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they've contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.

After Fortnite's success eclipsed Paragon, Epic shut down the MOBA's servers just two years after the game's beta release. Now, thanks to free assets from the game on the Unreal Marketplace and a trademark agreement with Epic, Paragon is making a return four years later, albeit under a new title and new ownership.

As pointed out by PC Gamer, Paragon: The Overprime is a Paragon rework that's being developed by the South Korean studio Netmarble. The free-to-play title is currently in open beta until November 21. It's headed to Steam and the Epic Games Store in the near future, but it's unclear when the full game will release.

According to Paragon: The Overprime's Epic Games Store page, when released, it will function as a live service game, with new heroes being added over time.

"We invite you to Prime where the space opera of a symphony of heroes echoes across the universe," the game's tagline reads.

Epic released $12 million of Paragon assets for free on the Unreal Marketplace when Paragon's servers closed. A few other games have utilized its assets since their release in 2018, though this marks the first time Epic has granted a studio permission to adopt Paragon's branding.

Epic initially shut down Paragon's servers in 2018 shortly after slowing its development to focus on Fortnite. Before its demise, we called Paragon "equal parts strikingly beautiful and exciting to behold" in our 2016 preview.

Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they've contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Games with Gold lineup for November 2022, including Roman Empire RTS Praetorians - HD Remaster and co-op twin-stick shooter Dead End Job.

According to Xbox Wire, the library update begins with Praetorians on November 1 (available until November 30). Dead End Job follows up later in the month on November 16 (available until December 15), while the October Games With Gold offering Bomber Crew is free until November 15.

On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, Praetorians gets an HD makeover for the 2003 strategy game. In a bid to become emperor, you’ll navigate the Roman Empire’s political intrigue through reworked console controls and high-definition visuals. The remaster includes more than 20 campaign missions, plus online multiplayer with up to eight players.

The colorful, playful ghost-blasting of Dead End Job offers another co-op game for the service, and still includes the option to go at it alone. Inspired by the whimsy of 90’s cartoons, paranormal pest buster Hector Plasm will rid offices, restaurants, and more of otherworldly critters with his trusty plasma blaster and vacuum pack.

October marks the first month since Microsoft stopped including Xbox 360 games through its Games With Gold program. Prior to the change, the service typically offered four games, with two of those slots reserved for Xbox 360 titles. Both games for October were originally released on Xbox One.

The Games With Gold library is also available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, a premium offering bundling its services together. If you’re interested in making the upgrade, check out our list covering the expanded digital library.

Andrea Shearon is a freelance news writer at IGN covering games and entertainment. Find her on Twitter (@Maajora) chatting about FFXIV and other RPGs.

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Games with Gold lineup for November 2022, including Roman Empire RTS Praetorians - HD Remaster and co-op twin-stick shooter Dead End Job.

According to Xbox Wire, the library update begins with Praetorians on November 1 (available until November 30). Dead End Job follows up later in the month on November 16 (available until December 15), while the October Games With Gold offering Bomber Crew is free until November 15.

On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, Praetorians gets an HD makeover for the 2003 strategy game. In a bid to become emperor, you’ll navigate the Roman Empire’s political intrigue through reworked console controls and high-definition visuals. The remaster includes more than 20 campaign missions, plus online multiplayer with up to eight players.

The colorful, playful ghost-blasting of Dead End Job offers another co-op game for the service, and still includes the option to go at it alone. Inspired by the whimsy of 90’s cartoons, paranormal pest buster Hector Plasm will rid offices, restaurants, and more of otherworldly critters with his trusty plasma blaster and vacuum pack.

October marks the first month since Microsoft stopped including Xbox 360 games through its Games With Gold program. Prior to the change, the service typically offered four games, with two of those slots reserved for Xbox 360 titles. Both games for October were originally released on Xbox One.

The Games With Gold library is also available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, a premium offering bundling its services together. If you’re interested in making the upgrade, check out our list covering the expanded digital library.

Andrea Shearon is a freelance news writer at IGN covering games and entertainment. Find her on Twitter (@Maajora) chatting about FFXIV and other RPGs.

Everyone’s favorite eccentric Jeff Goldblum will play The Wizard of Oz.

According to Variety, the Jurassic Park star will become the Man Behind the Curtain in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming Wicked movies.

A prequel to the Wizard of Oz, Wicked began life as a Broadway play, telling the story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West, while Glinda became the Good Witch.

The upcoming Wicked adaptation will actually be two movies – splitting the original story in two, with Goldblum playing the Wizard in both.

“As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of Wicked into a single film without doing some real damage to it,” Chu said at the time. “As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years.”

The upcoming films will adapt the Tony-Award-winning Broadway musical, which in turn, adapted the original novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

“We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one Wicked movie but two,” he added. “With more space, we can tell the story of Wicked as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.”

Wicked’s script is being written by Winnie Holzman, while Stephen Schwartz, who penned the songs for the original Broadway show, is on hand for the screenplay.

Marc Platt, who produced the stage play, returns to produce the films.

Jon M. Chu is directing the upcoming film adaptations following In the Heights – another stage-to-film project that hit screens in 2021.

Want to read more? Check out the Back to the Future Broadway adaptation as well as our first look at Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Everyone’s favorite eccentric Jeff Goldblum will play The Wizard of Oz.

According to Variety, the Jurassic Park star will become the Man Behind the Curtain in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming Wicked movies.

A prequel to the Wizard of Oz, Wicked began life as a Broadway play, telling the story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West, while Glinda became the Good Witch.

The upcoming Wicked adaptation will actually be two movies – splitting the original story in two, with Goldblum playing the Wizard in both.

“As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of Wicked into a single film without doing some real damage to it,” Chu said at the time. “As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years.”

The upcoming films will adapt the Tony-Award-winning Broadway musical, which in turn, adapted the original novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

“We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one Wicked movie but two,” he added. “With more space, we can tell the story of Wicked as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.”

Wicked’s script is being written by Winnie Holzman, while Stephen Schwartz, who penned the songs for the original Broadway show, is on hand for the screenplay.

Marc Platt, who produced the stage play, returns to produce the films.

Jon M. Chu is directing the upcoming film adaptations following In the Heights – another stage-to-film project that hit screens in 2021.

Want to read more? Check out the Back to the Future Broadway adaptation as well as our first look at Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

According to James Gunn, the first person he told about his signing on to lead the DC Comics film universe was none other than Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios.

Gunn revealed this in a tweet from his personal account responding to a now-deleted tweet asking if the Suicide Squad director hated Feige and Marvel now that he was heading the rival comic book company’s movies.

His response said the opposite, and that Feige was the first person he told after taking on the gig, followed by Peacemaker actor John Cena. He also said while DC and Marvel may be competitors, both companies shared a common goal of “keeping the theater-going experience vibrant & alive.”

The line of questioning stems from Gunn doing work for both Marvel and DC over the years. Before he directed both The Suicide Squad and the Peacemaker HBO Max show, Gunn directed Guardians of the Galaxy and its sequel Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, for Marvel.

Despite the DC job, Gunn is still working with Marvel on other Guardians of the Galaxy projects, including the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special set to debut on Disney+ next month, the I Am Groot series, and next year's Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.

Gunn’s promotion follows a series of shake-ups and cancellations over at Warner Bros., which affected several DC projects, from the canceled Batgirl film to television shows like The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. The DC movie universe is in the midst of a soft reboot, which included the return of Henry Cavill as Superman in the Black Adam post-credits scene.

So perhaps Gunn can help set things right as DC’s business is in a time of significant change.

Kenneth Shepard is a writer covering games, entertainment, and queerness all around the internet. Find him on Twitter at @shepardcdr, and listen to his biweekly video game retrospective podcast Normandy FM, which is currently covering Cyberpunk 2077.