Key Takeaways
- George RR Martin criticized changes to House of the Dragon, causing tension with showrunners.
- HBO expressed a desire to keep Martin happy, despite creative disagreements.
- Potential Game of Thrones spinoffs, including one with Maisie Williams, are in development.
Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin wrote a since-deleted blog post on House of the Dragon season 2’s problems. Now, HBO boss Casey Bloys has given a candid description of what it’s like working with Martin.
Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon season 2 concluded with mixed reactions. While reviews were generally positive, much of the criticism was directed toward the House of the Dragon season 2 finale, which some felt was dragging its feet while building toward a climatic event that will only unfold on screen when the series returns in roughly two years. Shortly after the season ended, Martin promised to outline what went wrong with House of the Dragon season 2 in a blog post.
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Martin delivered on that promise in a blog post slamming creative changes House of the Dragon season 2 made to his source material and detailing his arguments with showrunner Ryan Condal over these decisions. Martin ended up deleting that post and HBO released a statement expressing admiration for Fire & Blood–the book on which House of the Dragon is based–and defending Condal’s creative choices. During an HBO press event (via Deadline), Bloys expanded on the company’s statement, noting that they want to keep Martin happy but that their working relationship can get “rocky,” comparing it to a marriage:
He’s very important to me, to us. […] But when we put shows together, it’s like putting a marriage together. Marriages can be difficult, especially when Ryan Condal is making creative decisions and adapting work. It can be fraught. Any marriage can get rocky. I would prefer everybody get along, of course. But with the creative process, we are always going to have bumps. That’s to be expected.
Some fans felt Martin was unprofessional by publicly criticizing the House of the Dragon team. Others felt that as the franchise creator, he was well within his rights to make it known that he wasn’t pleased with House of the Dragon season 2’s changes to his work, particularly after he revealed his concerns about Game of Thrones ending too soon were ignored. It’s understandable if he wanted to wash his hands of House of the Dragon‘s creative changes, though perhaps he shouldn’t have called out the showrunners publicly.
Despite this brief public airing of grievances, Martin is seemingly still involved in Warner Bros. and HBO’s Game of Thrones franchise plans. Recently, Martin hinted at a Game of Thrones spinoff with Maisie Williams’ Arya Stark by recounting a dinner he had with the actress to discuss something that said “could be fun.” Even if this potential Arya Stark return doesn’t materialize, HBO has multiple Game of Thrones spinoffs, including a feature film, at various stages of development.
So, HBO is still heavily invested in the Game of Thrones franchise, and keeping Martin happy is probably in the company’s best interest. After the Game of Thrones series finale was poorly received, listening to criticism of House of the Dragon could help the prequel show avoid similar mistakes. Still, it may be best for these creative disputes to remain internal.
Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are available on Max.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones, based on the Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin, tells the sprawling story of warring families in Westeros, including the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, and the Targaryens. Along with human conflicts, Westeros is also threatened by the re-emergence of dragons and an undead enemy from beyond the Wall.
- First TV Show
- Game Of Thrones
- First Episode Air Date
- April 17, 2011
- Where to watch
- HBO Max
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Source: Deadline