D. B. Weiss Explained

Birth Name:Daniel Brett Weiss
Birth Date:23 April 1971
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education:Wesleyan University (BA)
Trinity College Dublin (MPhil)
University of Iowa (MFA)
Spouse:Andrea Troyer
Children:2

Daniel Brett Weiss (; born April 23, 1971)[1] is an American television writer and producer. Along with his collaborator David Benioff, he is best-known for co-creating Game of Thrones (2011–2019), the HBO adaptation of George R. R. Martin's series of books A Song of Ice and Fire.

Early life

Weiss was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. His family is Jewish, with ancestral roots in Germany.[2] He graduated from Wesleyan University and earned a Master of Philosophy in Irish literature from Trinity College Dublin, where he wrote his thesis on James Joyce's Finnegans Wake,[3] "Understanding the (Net) Wake."[4] He later earned a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the Iowa Writers' Workshop.[5]

Career

Weiss worked as personal assistant on films such as The Viking Sagas for New Line Cinema. For a brief period, he also worked as a personal assistant for musician Glenn Frey. Weiss went to Dublin in 1995 to study Anglo-Irish literature and met David Benioff, the screenwriter of Troy. Three years later, around 1998, they met again in Santa Monica, California.

Weiss and Benioff co-wrote a screenplay for a film titled The Headmaster, but it was never made. In 2003, they were hired to collaborate on a new script of Orson Scott Card's book Ender's Game, in consultation with the then-designated director Wolfgang Petersen.[6] [7] It was not used.[8]

Weiss's 2003 debut novel, Lucky Wander Boy, is themed around video games. In 2006, he said he had written a second novel that "needs a second draft".[9] The same year, Weiss completed a screenplay for a film adaptation of the video game series Halo, based on a script by Alex Garland,[10] [11] but director Neill Blomkamp declared the project dead in late 2007.[12]

Weiss also worked on a script for a prequel to I Am Legend,[13] but in May 2011, director Francis Lawrence said that he did not think the prequel would ever happen.[14]

Weiss collaborated with Benioff on the HBO television series Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire.[15] Benioff and Weiss also directed three episodes together. For the first two, they flipped a coin to decide who would get the credit on the show. Weiss received directing credit for "Two Swords", Season 4 episode 1, while Benioff was credited for "Walk of Punishment", Season 3 episode 3. Benioff and Weiss were both credited for co-directing the series finale, "The Iron Throne".

On July 19, 2017, Weiss announced that he and Benioff were going to begin production on another HBO series, Confederate, after the final season of Game of Thrones. Weiss and Benioff said, "We have discussed Confederate for years, originally as a concept for a feature film, but our experience on Thrones has convinced us that no one provides a bigger, better storytelling canvas than HBO."[16] In January 2020, HBO President Casey Bloys confirmed that the project had been officially canceled.[17]

On February 6, 2018, Disney announced that Weiss and Benioff would write and produce a new series of Star Wars films after the last season of Game of Thrones ended in 2019.[18] Toward the end of the last season, a petition to HBO was started on Change.org. It described showrunners Benioff and Weiss as "woefully incompetent writers" and demanded "competent writers" to remake the eighth season of Game of Thrones in a manner "that makes sense".[19] The petition eventually amassed over 1.5 million signatures.[20] In the Chicago Sun Times, Richard Roeper wrote that the backlash to the eighth season was so great that he doubted he had "ever seen the level of fan (and to a lesser degree, critical) vitriol leveled at" Game of Thrones.[21]

In early 2019, Weiss and Benioff entered into an exclusive $200 million deal with Netflix to produce several films and television shows exclusively for it.[22] [23] In late October 2019, it was reported that Weiss and Benioff had exited their deal with Disney due to their commitments to Netflix.[24] [25] [26]

Weiss and Benioff's first project on Netflix were as directors of Leslie Jones's stand-up comedy special Time Machine.[27]

In September 2020, it was announced that Weiss, Benioff and Alexander Woo would write and executive produce the Netflix series 3 Body Problem based on the similarly named Chinese novel series.[28]

Personal life

Weiss and his wife, Andrea Troyer, have two children.[29]

Bibliography

Author

Filmography

Film

Year Title width=65 Writer width=65 Producer
2022Metal Lords

Television

Year Title width=65 Directorwidth=65 Writer width=65 Executive
Producer		width=65 CreatorNotes
2011–2019Game of ThronesDirected and wrote episodes "Two Swords" and "The Iron Throne"
Wrote 45 episodes
2013–2017It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaWrote episode "Flowers for Charlie"
Cameo as "Bored Lifeguard #2" (In episode "The Gang Goes to a Water Park")
2014The Specials
2020Leslie Jones

Time Machine

TV special;
Co-director with David Benioff
2021The Chair
20243 Body ProblemWrote 4 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Title Award/Nominations
2011–2019Game of ThronesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series (2015,2016,2018 and 2019)[30]
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (2015-2016)
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (2012)[31]
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (2013-2014)[32] [33]
Producers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama (2015)[34]
Golden Nymph Awards for Outstanding International Producer (2012)[35]
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series (2011-2014)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (2011-2014)
Nominated—Producers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama (2011-2014, 2016, 2018)[36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41]
Nominated—BAFTA for Best International Programme (2013)[42]
Nominated—Writers Guild of America Award for Dramatic Series (2011-2012, 2014–2016, 2018)[43] [44] [45] [46] [47] [48]
Nominated—Writers Guild of America Award for Episodic Drama (2015-2016)
Nominated—Writers Guild of America Award for New Series (2011)
Nominated—Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (2015, 2017)[49] [50]
Nominated—USC Scripter Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (2016-2017)[51] [52]
Nominated—Humanitas Prize for 60 Minute Network or Syndicated Television (2017)[53]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: D.B. Weiss Biography . StarPulse . October 11, 2013 . October 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131012024429/http://www.starpulse.com/Celebrity/D.B._Weiss-spb4270322/Biography/ . dead .
  2. News: The Jewish legacy behind Game of Thrones . Times of Israel.
  3. The Surprising Connection Between Game of Thrones and Monty Python . March 24, 2014 . Vanity Fair.
  4. Web site: Weiss . D.B. . 1995 . "Understanding the (Net) Wake" . 2022-10-16 . The Modern Word . en-US.
  5. Web site: Bio . Lucky Wander Boy . February 22, 2011.
  6. Web site: Game of Thrones: Interview with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss . . March 23, 2013 . November 13, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121113115917/http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/episodes/1/10-fire-and-blood/interview.html . dead .
  7. Web site: DB Weiss talks Halo . July 19, 2006 . Writerswrite.com . February 22, 2011.
  8. Web site: Card talks Ender's Game movie . April 18, 2007 . IGN . IGN Entertainment, Inc. . January 1, 2009.
  9. Web site: GameSetInterview: Halo Screenwriter DB Weiss . July 13, 2006 . GameSetWatch . February 22, 2011 . September 11, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190911233858/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2006/07/gamesetinterview_db_weiss.php . dead .
  10. Web site: DB Weiss takes on Halo script . Miller . Ross . July 14, 2006 . Joystiq . February 22, 2011.
  11. News: No home for Halo pic . Fritz . Ben . October 31, 2006 . . October 20, 2007.
  12. News: Halo movie canned . Farrell . Nick . October 9, 2007 . . May 30, 2008 . unfit . https://web.archive.org/web/20081018135623/http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/10/09/halo-canned . October 18, 2008.
  13. Web site: I Am Legend prequel in the works . September 26, 2008 . UPI.com . February 22, 2011.
  14. News: Exclusive: 'I Am Legend Prequel' is Dead, Says Francis Lawrence . https://archive.today/20120718185217/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/05/03/i-am-legend-prequel-will-smith-francis-lawrence . dead . July 18, 2012 . May 3, 2011 . MTV Movies blog . August 11, 2011.
  15. News: HBO turns Fire into fantasy series . Fleming . Michael . January 16, 2007 . . February 22, 2011.
  16. Game of Thrones showrunners reveal their next epic HBO series . Hibberd . James . July 19, 2017 . . July 19, 2017.
  17. Web site: Confederate Officially Axed: HBO Confirms Controversial Slavery Drama From Game of Thrones EPs Is Dead. Ausiello. Michael. January 15, 2020. TVLine. February 24, 2020.
  18. Game of Thrones creators developing new Star Wars films . Brenican . Anthony . February 6, 2018 . . February 6, 2018.
  19. Multiple sources:
    1. Web site: Game of Thrones petition: 500,000 demand series eight remake . May 16, 2019 . . May 17, 2019.
    2. Web site: McCarthy . Tyler . 'Game of Thrones' fans are petitioning HBO to remake the last season 'with competent writers' . . May 16, 2019 . May 20, 2019.
    3. News: 'This was abysmal': Nearly 1 million disgruntled 'Game of Thrones' fans demand a final season remake . . May 17, 2019 . May 26, 2019.
    4. Web site: Fieldstadt . Elisha . Nearly 800,000 'Game of Thrones' fans sign petition for remake of season 8 . . May 16, 2019 . May 17, 2019.
    5. Web site: Jancelewicz . Chris . More than 1 million upset 'Game of Thrones' fans sign petition to remake Season 8 . . May 15, 2019 . May 20, 2019.
  20. Web site: Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Lost – why is it so hard for TV shows to pull off the perfect ending? . Staples . Louis . . May 26, 2019.
  21. Web site: 'Game of Thrones' finale review: Enthralling series comes to a satisfying end . Roeper . Richard . May 19, 2019 . . May 20, 2019.
  22. News: Munzenrieder . Kyle . What Will David Benioff and D.B. Weiss Bring to Netflix For $200 Million? . November 3, 2019 . . August 8, 2019.
  23. News: Statt . Nick . Game of Thrones creators sign $200 million Netflix deal to make exclusive shows and films . November 3, 2019 . . August 7, 2019.
  24. Web site: 'Star Wars' Setback: 'Game Of Thrones' Duo David Benioff & D.B. Weiss Exit Trilogy . Boucher . Geoff . October 29, 2019 . Deadline Hollywood . October 29, 2019.
  25. News: Game of Thrones creators Benioff and Weiss drop Star Wars movies for Netflix . October 29, 2019 . . October 29, 2019.
  26. News: Byford . Sam . Game of Thrones showrunners quit Star Wars trilogy to work on Netflix projects . October 29, 2019 . . October 29, 2019.
  27. 'Leslie Jones gets a Game of Thrones-themed trailer for Netflix special Time Machine. Bucksbaum. Sydney. December 19, 2019 . . December 19, 2019.
  28. News: 'Three-Body Problem' Series From David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Alexander Woo Set at Netflix . Joe . Otterson . . September 1, 2020. September 3, 2020.
  29. News: Andrea Troyer: Game Of Thrones D.B Weiss' Wife . May 5, 2019.
  30. Web site: Game of Thrones . Emmys.com . April 12, 2017.
  31. Web site: 2012 Hugo Award Winners . September 2, 2012 . thehugoawards.org . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120905054810/http://www.thehugoawards.org/2012/09/2012-hugo-award-winners/ . September 5, 2012 . April 12, 2017.
  32. Web site: 2013 Hugo Award Winners . September 1, 2013 . thehugoawards.org . . live . https://archive.today/20130923182647/http://www.thehugoawards.org/2013/09/2013-hugo-award-winners/ . September 23, 2013 . April 12, 2017.
  33. Web site: 2014 Hugo Award Winners . August 17, 2014 . thehugoawards.org . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083711/http://www.thehugoawards.org/2014/08/2014-hugo-award-winners/ . August 19, 2014 . April 12, 2017.
  34. News: 'Big Short' takes home top prize at Producers Guild of America awards . January 24, 2016 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160406012822/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/01/24/big-short-takes-home-top-prize-at-producers-guild-america-awards/ . April 6, 2016.
  35. News: HBO's 'Game of Thrones,' 'Game Change' Win Top Prizes at Monte Carlo TV Festival . Leffler . Rebecca . June 14, 2012 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120618172642/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/game-of-thrones-monte-carlo-tv-festival-winners-337899 . June 18, 2012.
  36. Web site: PGA Announced Theatrical Motion Picture and Long-Form Television Nominations for 2012 PGA Awards . January 3, 2012 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120530154740/http://www.producersguild.org/news/80252/PGA-ANNOUNCES-THEATRICAL-MOTION-PICTURE-AND-LONG-FORM-TELEVISION-NOMINATIONS-FOR-2012-PGA-AWARDS.htm . May 30, 2012 . April 12, 2017 .
  37. Web site: Homeland, Game of Thrones, Modern Family, and Louie Lead Television Nominations for 2013 Producers Guild Awards . Chitwood . Adam . November 28, 2012 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130122041338/http://collider.com/2013-pga-nominations-homeland-modern-family/214302/ . January 22, 2013 . April 12, 2017.
  38. News: TV Nominees For PGA Awards Unveiled . December 3, 2013 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://archive.today/20131203193808/http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/tv-nominees-for-pga-awards-unveiled/ . December 3, 2013.
  39. News: 'American Sniper,' 'Birdman' & 'Boyhood' Among PGA Awards Nominees . January 5, 2015 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150201162249/http://deadline.com/2015/01/american-sniper-birdman-boyhood-pga-awards-nominees-full-list-1201341195/ . February 1, 2015.
  40. People v. O.J., Stranger Things score Producers Guild Award nominations . DeSantis . Rachel . January 5, 2017 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170106162937/http://ew.com/awards/2017/01/05/producers-guild-award-nominations-2017/ . January 6, 2017.
  41. Web site: 2018 Producers Guild Award Nominations: The Full List of Film and TV Nominees . Dupre . Elyse . January 5, 2018 . E! News . January 5, 2018.
  42. Web site: Television in 2013 . 2013 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150401215822/http://awards.bafta.org/award/2013/television . April 1, 2015 . April 12, 2017.
  43. News: Writers Guild Awards: Complete Winners List . A. Fernandez . Jay . February 19, 2012 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120430092051/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wga-writers-guild-awards-winners-list-292639 . April 30, 2012.
  44. News: WGA Announces TV Nominations . December 6, 2012 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121209043357/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wga-announces-tv-nominations-398792 . December 9, 2012.
  45. News: Writers Guild TV Nominations: 'True Detective' & 'Louie' Lead Way, Amazon Breaks Through With 'Transparent' . Hipes . Patrick . December 4, 2014 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150215201849/http://deadline.com/2014/12/writers-guild-awards-tv-nominations-full-list-1201309155/ . February 15, 2015.
  46. News: WGA Honors 'Big Short,' 'Spotlight,' 'Mad Men' at 68th Awards . McNary . Dave . February 13, 2016 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160503074029/http://variety.com/2016/film/news/wga-awards-winners-writers-guild-america-1201705269/ . May 3, 2016.
  47. News: WGA TV Nominations Include 'Westworld,' 'This Is Us' and 'Stranger Things' . O'Connell . Michael . December 5, 2016 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170106013303/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/wga-nominations-list-954561 . January 6, 2017.
  48. News: Writers Guild Award TV Nominations: 'The Americans,' 'Handmaid's Tale,' 'GLOW' Grab Multiple Mentions . Littleton . Cynthia . Variety . December 7, 2017.
  49. Web site: 2015 Nominations . April 4, 2015 . thehugoawards.org . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150602203755/http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2015-hugo-awards/ . June 2, 2015 . April 12, 2017 .
  50. Web site: Here are the 2017 Hugo Award nominees . Gartenberg . Chaim . April 4, 2017 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170405192605/http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15178480/2017-hugo-award-nominations-science-fiction-fantasy-books . April 5, 2017 . April 12, 2017.
  51. News: USC Scripter Awards Unveils Film Nominations, Expands into TV . THR Staff . January 7, 2016 . . April 12, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170114052433/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2016-usc-scripter-awards-nominations-866465 . January 14, 2017.
  52. News: 'Arrival,' 'Fences,' 'Game of Thrones' Earn USC Scripter Award Nominations . McNary . Dave . January 11, 2017 . . April 12, 2017.
  53. News: 'Game of Thrones,' 'Black-ish' Top Humanitas Prize Finalists . January 11, 2018 . Variety . January 11, 2018.

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