George R.R. Martin says budget restrictions on season 1 of 'Game of Thrones' resulted in his least favorite scene

• "Game of Thrones" creator George R.R. Martin has revealed that the Robert Baratheon hunting scene from season one of the HBO adaptation is his least favorite across all eight seasons of the fantasy epic.
• During an interview with journalist James Hibberd for his upcoming book "Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon," the 72-year-old author confessed that early budget restrictions stopped the show from accurately producing the scene.
• "Where we really fell down in terms of budget was my least favorite scene in the entire show, in all eight seasons: King Robert goes hunting," Martin said. "In the books, Robert goes off hunting, we get word he was gored by a boar, and they bring him back and he dies. So I never did [a hunting scene]."
• He added: "But I knew what a royal hunting party was like. There would have been a hundred guys. There would have been pavilions. There would have been huntsmen. There would have been dogs. There would have been horns blowing — that's how a king goes hunting!"
• Instead, King Robert was joined by just a few men carrying spears.

"Game of Thrones" creator George R.R. Martin has revealed that the Robert Baratheon hunting scene from season one is his least favorite across all eight seasons of the HBO adaptation.

During an interview with journalist James Hibberd for the upcoming book "Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon," the 72-year-old author confessed that early budget restrictions stopped the show from accurately producing the scene.

"Where we really fell down in terms of budget was my least favorite scene in the entire show, in all eight seasons: King Robert goes hunting," Martin said. "In the books, Robert goes off hunting, we get word he was gored by a boar, and they bring him back and he dies. So I never did [a hunting scene].

"But I knew what a royal hunting party was like. There would have been a hundred guys. There would have been pavilions. There would have been huntsmen. There would have been dogs. There would have been horns blowing — that's how a king goes hunting! He wouldn't have just been walking through the woods with three of his friends holding spears hoping to meet a boar. But at that point, we couldn't afford horses or dogs or pavilions."

In the scene, King Robert is joined by his brother Renly, Ser Barristan Selmy, and Lancel Lannister.

Back in 2011, the budget for each episode of the show was $6 million but with success, and increasingly elaborate battle sequences and fire breathing CGI dragons, the show's budgets ballooned with each episode of the eighth and final season costing HBO $15 million.

However, despite high production costs and massive viewing figures season eight of "Game of Thrones" proved to be the most controversial with fans divided by the show's narrative ending, as well as continuity mistakes such as the infamous water bottle in the show's finale.

Late last year, HBO confirmed that the first "Game of Thrones" prequel series — titled "House of the Dragon" — will be moving forward. The network has ordered 10 episodes and the show will explore the origins of House Targaryen set around 300 years before the events of "Game of Thrones."

Read More:

The first 'Game of Thrones' prequel is officially not moving forward at HBO

HBO is officially making a 'Game of Thrones' prequel series all about House Targaryen

Everything you need to know about the 'Game of Thrones' prequel series 'House of the Dragon'