When was Daniel Brett Weiss born and where was he born?

Daniel Brett Weiss was born on the 23rd of April 1971 in Chicago, Illinois. He was born into a Jewish family with ancestral roots stretching back to Germany.

What academic degrees did D. B. Weiss earn before becoming a screenwriter?

D. B. Weiss earned a Master of Philosophy in Irish literature from Trinity College Dublin and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the Iowa Writers Workshop. His thesis at Trinity College Dublin was titled Understanding the (Net) Wake and explored James Joyce's Finnegans Wake.

How many episodes of Game of Thrones did D. B. Weiss write and when did the series run?

D. B. Weiss wrote 45 episodes of Game of Thrones, which ran from 2011 to 2019. The series won multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019.

Why was the HBO series Confederate canceled and when was the cancellation announced?

The HBO series Confederate was officially canceled in January 2020 by HBO President Casey Bloys. The project faced significant hurdles and was never produced despite being announced on the 19th of July 2017.

D. B. Weiss: the story on HearLore

Q: What exclusive deal did D. B. Weiss sign with Netflix in 2019?

D. B. Weiss entered into an exclusive $200 million deal with Netflix in early 2019 to produce several films and television shows exclusively for the streaming giant. This deal marked a departure from his previous work with HBO and signaled a new era for his production company.

Daniel Brett Weiss was born on the 23rd of April 1971 in Chicago, Illinois, into a Jewish family with ancestral roots stretching back to Germany. Before he ever stepped onto a film set or wrote a single episode of a television series, he was a student of the most difficult text in the English language. While attending Wesleyan University, Weiss pursued a path that seemed destined for the academic ivory tower rather than the Hollywood spotlight. He earned a Master of Philosophy in Irish literature from Trinity College Dublin, where he wrote a thesis titled Understanding the (Net) Wake. This academic work explored James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, a novel so notoriously complex that it has baffled readers for decades. The thesis itself was a testament to his intellectual rigor, diving deep into the stream-of-consciousness narrative that Joyce constructed. Later, he furthered his education at the Iowa Writers Workshop, earning a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. This background in high literature and Irish studies provided a unique foundation for a man who would eventually become the architect of the most expensive television show in history.

The trajectory of Weiss's life shifted dramatically in 1995 when he traveled to Dublin to study Anglo-Irish literature. It was there, amidst the streets of the Irish capital, that he met David Benioff, a screenwriter who would later direct the film Troy. The two men bonded over their shared love of storytelling and literature, forming a partnership that would define the next two decades of their careers. Three years later, around 1998, they reunited in Santa Monica, California, after Weiss returned to the United States. Their collaboration began in earnest with a screenplay for a film titled The Headmaster, though the project never made it to production. They subsequently worked on a script for Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game in 2003, consulting with director Wolfgang Petersen, but that script was also never used. These early failures were not signs of a lack of talent, but rather the grinding process of two writers trying to find their footing in a competitive industry. Weiss also wrote a debut novel in 2003 called Lucky Wander Boy, which was themed around video games, and he claimed in 2006 that he had written a second novel that required a second draft. The pair also attempted to adapt the video game series Halo, with a script by Alex Garland, but director Neill Blomkamp declared the project dead in late 2007. These years of rejection and unproduced scripts were the crucible that forged the resilience required for their future success.

In 2011, the world changed for Weiss and Benioff when they were hired to adapt George R. R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire into a television series for HBO. The resulting show, Game of Thrones, ran from 2011 to 2019 and became a global phenomenon. Weiss and Benioff did not just write the series; they directed three episodes together, including the series finale titled The Iron Throne. For the first two episodes they directed, they flipped a coin to decide who would receive the credit. Weiss received the directing credit for Two Swords, the first episode of Season 4, while Benioff was credited for Walk of Punishment, the third episode of Season 3. Over the course of the show's run, Weiss wrote 45 episodes, a staggering number that demonstrated his immense work ethic. The series won multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, along with awards for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series in 2015 and 2016. They also received Hugo Awards for Best Dramatic Presentation in both long and short forms. The show's success was not without its controversies. In early 2019, a petition on Change.org amassed over 1.5 million signatures, describing the showrunners as woefully incompetent writers and demanding a remake of the eighth season. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times noted that the backlash was so severe he doubted he had ever seen such a level of fan and critical vitriol leveled at a television show. Despite the vitriol, the show remained a cultural touchstone, and Weiss and Benioff's names were inextricably linked to its legacy.

Following the conclusion of Game of Thrones in 2019, Weiss and Benioff made a massive move that reshaped their professional landscape. In early 2019, they entered into an exclusive $200 million deal with Netflix to produce several films and television shows exclusively for the streaming giant. This deal marked a departure from their previous work with HBO and signaled a new era for their production company. In late October 2019, it was reported that they had exited their deal with Disney, which had announced in February 2018 that they would write and produce a new series of Star Wars films after the last season of Game of Thrones ended. The decision to leave Disney was driven by their commitments to Netflix. Their first project on Netflix was as directors of Leslie Jones's stand-up comedy special Time Machine. 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. This project represented a shift in genre, moving from medieval fantasy to hard science fiction. The series was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2024. The transition from HBO to Netflix demonstrated their ability to navigate the changing tides of the television industry, securing a massive financial package while maintaining creative control over their projects.

Before their move to Netflix, Weiss and Benioff had a different vision for their post-Game of Thrones career. On the 19th of July 2017, they announced that they were going to begin production on another HBO series titled Confederate. The concept had been discussed for years, originally as a feature film idea, but their experience on Thrones convinced them that no one provided a bigger, better storytelling canvas than HBO. The series was intended to explore an alternate history where the Confederacy won the American Civil War. However, the project faced significant hurdles and was never produced. In January 2020, HBO President Casey Bloys confirmed that the project had been officially canceled. The cancellation of Confederate was a blow to their ambitions, but it also highlighted the challenges of bringing such a controversial and complex historical concept to the screen. The cancellation of the project also coincided with the end of their relationship with Disney, as they sought new opportunities elsewhere. The failure of Confederate to materialize served as a reminder that even the most successful showrunners could face setbacks when trying to push the boundaries of what was acceptable in mainstream television.

Weiss's career was not limited to the world of fantasy and science fiction. He also wrote and produced the 2022 American teen comedy-drama Metal Lords, showcasing his versatility as a writer. His work extended to other television series as well, including a guest writing credit on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in 2013 and 2017. He wrote the episode Flowers for Charlie and even made a cameo appearance as Bored Lifeguard #2 in the episode The Gang Goes to a Water Park. He also worked on a script for a prequel to I Am Legend, but in May 2011, director Francis Lawrence said that he did not think the prequel would ever happen. These projects demonstrated his ability to work across different genres, from comedy to horror to drama. His early work as a personal assistant on films such as The Viking Sagas for New Line Cinema and for musician Glenn Frey gave him a behind-the-scenes perspective on the industry. This experience likely contributed to his understanding of the business side of filmmaking, which he would later leverage to secure his own deals. The breadth of his work, from writing novels to producing television, showed a commitment to storytelling in all its forms.

Outside of the public eye, Daniel Weiss has maintained a relatively private life. He and his wife, Andrea Troyer, have two children. This family life provided a grounding force for a man who spent years working on some of the most high-pressure projects in television history. The balance between his professional achievements and his personal life was a key aspect of his identity. While the world knew him as the co-creator of Game of Thrones, his family remained a constant presence in his life. The privacy he maintained allowed him to focus on his work without the constant scrutiny that often accompanies fame. This balance was crucial for his mental health and creative output, allowing him to return to his projects with fresh eyes. The stability of his personal life likely contributed to his ability to handle the intense pressure of running a multi-billion dollar franchise. His family life was a testament to the fact that even the most successful individuals need a foundation of love and support to thrive.

D. B. Weiss

The Dublin Connection

The Iron Throne of Television

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