House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has expressed his disappointment over Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin's criticisms of the series' second season. Martin had previously promised to delve into "everything that's gone wrong with House of the Dragon" in August 2024, a promise he fulfilled by critiquing plot elements related to Aegon and Helaena’s children and voicing concerns about the show's future direction. Although Martin's post was later removed from his website without explanation, it had already garnered attention from thousands of fans and HBO.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Condal shared his thoughts on Martin's criticisms, emphasizing the personal impact of the strained relationship with the renowned author. "It was disappointing," he stated. "I've been a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire for nearly 25 years, and working on the show has been one of the greatest privileges of my career and life as a fan of science fiction and fantasy. George is a literary icon and a personal hero, whose work has greatly influenced me as a writer."
Condal acknowledged the challenges of adapting Fire & Blood, the source material for House of the Dragon, noting that the book's incomplete historical narrative requires significant creative interpretation. "It's this incomplete history and it requires a lot of joining of the dots and a lot of invention as you go along the way," he explained. He emphasized his efforts to involve Martin in the adaptation process over the years, highlighting their initially strong collaboration. However, he noted that Martin eventually became unwilling to acknowledge the practical challenges of the adaptation.
Condal further elaborated on the complexities of his role as a showrunner, balancing creative vision with practical production demands. "As a showrunner, I have to keep my practical producer hat on and my creative writer, lover-of-the-material hat on at the same time," he said. "At the end of the day, I must keep the writing and production processes moving forward for the sake of the crew, cast, and HBO, because that's my job. I hope that George and I can rediscover our harmony someday."
He added that every creative decision in the show takes "many months, if not years" to finalize, and all choices pass through him before reaching the screen. The goal, he stressed, is to create a show that appeals not only to Game of Thrones readers but also to a broader television audience.
Despite recent tensions, HBO and Martin continue to collaborate on various projects. While some have been shelved since the success of Game of Thrones, upcoming ventures include A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which Martin has described as a "faithful adaptation," and potentially another Targaryen-centered spinoff.
Meanwhile, House of the Dragon has begun production on Season 3, following a successful second season that received a 7/10 rating in our review.
