"House of Dragon Showrunner Responds to George R.R. Martin's Critiques"

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has described Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin’s criticisms of the series’ second season as "disappointing" following remarks the author made public last year.

The drama within the Game of Thrones universe escalated when Martin promised to delve into “everything that’s gone wrong with House of the Dragon” in August 2024. He fulfilled this promise by criticizing plot elements related to Aegon and Helaena’s children, expressing concerns about the trajectory of future seasons. Although the post was eventually removed from Martin’s website without any explanation, it had already caught the attention of thousands of fans and HBO.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Condal shared his thoughts on Martin’s critiques, emphasizing the emotional impact of their strained relationship. “It was disappointing," he stated. "I've been a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire for almost 25 years now, and working on the show has been one of the greatest privileges of my career as a writer and my life as a fan of science-fiction and fantasy. George is a literary icon and a personal hero, whose work has deeply influenced my own.”

Condal acknowledged that it may be challenging for Martin and fans when House of the Dragon deviates from its source material, Fire & Blood. He explained that adapting beloved books for television can lead to complex situations. “It's an incomplete history that requires connecting the dots and a lot of creative invention,” he said. “I made every effort to involve George in the adaptation process over years, and we had a strong collaboration for a long time. But as we progressed, he became unwilling to acknowledge the practical issues in a reasonable way.”

Condal elaborated on the challenges he faced: “As a showrunner, I must balance my roles as a practical producer and a creative writer who loves the material. I have to keep the writing and production processes moving forward for the sake of the crew, the cast, and HBO. I hope that George and I can find our harmony again someday.”

He emphasized that every creative decision takes “many months, if not years” to finalize, and all decisions go through him before reaching the screen. The goal, he said, is to create a show that appeals not only to Game of Thrones readers but also to a broader television audience.

Despite some tensions, HBO and Martin have several collaborations planned. While a few projects have been shelved since the success of Game of Thrones, upcoming projects include A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and potentially another Targaryen-centered spinoff. Martin has already praised A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms as a “faithful adaptation.”

Meanwhile, House of the Dragon has begun production on Season 3 following a successful second season, which received a 7/10 in our review.