Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin had high praise for Resident Evil director’s take on his fantasy short story, saying it “captures his voice better than anyone had in an adaptation before”

One of George R.R. Martin’s short stories is getting the big screen treatment in Paul W. S. Anderson’s In the Lost Lands. The fantasy action movie, which stars Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista, tells the story of a witch and a hunter who head on a dangerous journey to find an artifact for a queen.

Resident Evil director says in the new issue of SFX magazine, which features the 30 greatest shows of the SFX era on the cover and hits newsstands on February 26, that he felt the pressure to impress Martin. However, thankfully, the Game of Thrones author had high praise for the new take on his works.

Anderson says he screened the movie for Martin in New Mexico, at the author’s personal theater. “I have to say, having been in this industry for a little while and made a bunch of movies, it’s the most nervous I’ve ever been having a screening,” the director laughed. “I’m sitting there going, ‘Shit. This is George R.R. Martin.’ But at the end, he loved it. He said he felt that I had captured his voice better than anyone had in an adaptation, which made me feel amazing.”

It was such high praise that Anderson is hoping that Martin may be encouraged to continue the story. He had previously expressed a desire to write multiple Gray Alys novels, but never got around to it. “The movie has a closed end and, I feel, a very satisfying end,” he continued. “But if George wanted to weave more Gray Alys stories, I’d be very excited.”

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In The Lost Lands releases on March 7 in US theaters and UK cinemas from March 14. Read more in the latest issue of SFX magazine, which will be available from Wednesday, February 26. Check out the special SFX anniversary cover to look for on newsstands below…