Hoth is coming. The news that Game of Thrones' DB Weiss and David Benioff have signed up to oversee a bunch of Star Wars movies has caused some shock, and even some controversy, in the fan community – but we should have all predicted this. Benioff and Weiss have been making Star Wars for seven years now. Don't believe us? Get your force vision around this lot....
1. What's with the hands getting cut off?
Anakin Skywalker had a whole bunch of limbs cut off, then decided to continue the family tradition by lopping off Luke's hand. In Game of Thrones, Jaime Lannister loses a limb as a punishment for defending Brienne. We fully expect more hands, arms, and feet to be removed from their attendant bodies in the Weiss/Benioff Star Wars movies.
2. Death is not the end
In the Star Wars films, death isn't necessarily the end – you can come back as a Force ghost surrounded by glowing light and totally chill with your former pals. In Game of Thrones, it's similar – if you're mates with the Lord Of Light, you can totally be brought back and have more excellent adventures. Just ask Jon Snow.
3. Big dudes carrying little dudes in backpacks
In Star Wars, Luke carries Yoda. In Game of Thrones, Hodor carries Bran. Also, Hodor's a bit like Chewbacca, in that he's big and hairy and most of the characters can't understand a word he's saying.
4. Gwendoline Christie in armour
So, you know that big fantasy franchise where Gwendoline Christie plays a role that's established as traditionally male within the fictional world, wearing a silver outfit and fighting whatever dudes get in her way? It's awesome, isn't it? But which is it, Game of Thrones, or Star Wars?
5. Dads getting decapitated
In Attack of the Clones, poor little Boba Fett (don't feel too sorry for him, he turns into a badass) has to watch as Mace Windu chops his dad Jango's head off.
In Game of Thrones episode nine, poor little Arya Stark (don't feel too sorry for her, she turns into a badass) has to watch as Ser Ilyn Payne chops her dad Ned's head off.
6. Flaming swords
We're still not entirely sure how they work, but both franchises have magic swords that light up when their wielders decide it's time to have a scrap.
It makes sense on Star Wars, but it still feels pretty weird on Game of Thrones, even for a show that once had a shadow monster come out of someone's vagina.
7. Facial scars in roughly the same place
Kylo Ren and Tyrion don't have much in common but they do both have hard-won facial scars that they carry with them for the duration of their respective stories.
Oh, and The Hound gets some fairly bad burn scars that are almost as terrible as Anakin Skywalker's – and he got his on a lava planet!
8. The mid-story dining-room betrayal
This might seem tenuous, but bear with us. In The Empire Strikes Back, our heroes pause mid-battle to seek refuge in a place they think is safe. There are friendly faces there, food, and a bit of a weird atmosphere. Then, suddenly betral.
Of course, the Red Wedding was a bit more deadly (Darth Vader's not that much of a bad dude when you think about it) and Lando's no Roose Bolton when it comes to selling out your friends – but still, the parallels are there.
Also, let's pour a glass of summer wine in tribute to Queen Talisa Stark and Queen Amidala, who both lost their lives as a result of getting pregnant.
9. Important secret parents
A + A = L was the original R + L = J. If you don't know what we're talking about, look away now. Luke's dad is Darth Vader! Jon's dad is Rhaegar Targaryen – which means both franchises feature leading heroes who find out they're actually related to someone super-important in the mythology, discovering they've got royal blood in the process.
And finally, just for fun…
Freelancer writer
Sam is an entertainment writer with NCTJ accreditation and a twenty-year career as a film journalist.
Starting out as a staff writer at Total Film, moving up to Deputy Online Editor, Sam was responsible for Total Film’s YouTube channel, where he revolutionised the magazine’s approach to video junkets, creating influential formats that spread to other outlets.
He’s interviewed a wide range of film icons, including directors such as David Lynch, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Sofia Coppola, Ridley Scott, Michael Bay and Sam Raimi, as well as actors such as Meryl Streep, Nic Cage, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Anne Hathaway, Margot Robbie, Natalie Portman, Kermit the Frog, all of the Avengers and many more.
Sam has also interviewed several comic creators, including Stan Lee, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and he has a zombie cameo in The Walking Dead comic.
In 2014, Sam went freelance, working directly for film studios including Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox and Disney, as well as covering red carpet events for film marketing company PMA Productions.
Sam is the co-host, producer and editor of the Arrow Video podcast, which has seen year-on-year growth since its creation in 2017, gaining over half a million listens in that time.
His byline has appeared in outlets such as Yahoo, MTV, Dazed, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and Good Housekeeping among others.
In 2012, Sam made it to the final of the Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year competition, and went on to become a filmmaker himself, directing three features that have all played major festivals, and secured distribution – starring in two of them.
Jim Carrey once mistook Sam for Johnny Cash, and John Carpenter told him to ‘Keep up the good work.’ He promises to try his best.
