HBO Still Loyal to ‘House of the Dragon’ Despite Creative Strife

Along with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, we’re getting more House of the Dragon this year. HBO hasn’t shown much of the latter show’s upcoming third season so far, but it’s been talked about lately, namely because author George R.R. Martin’s been vocally unhappy with showrunner Ryan Condal’s many changes from his books.

HBO head Casey Bloys was asked about this rift by Deadline, where he praised both parties: he’d have liked Martin’s thoughts to “stay behind closed doors,” but otherwise considers the author “a great partner to have.” As for Condal, Bloys noted that Martin had introduced him as the right person to lead the show, and he has since been “an excellent showrunner and really great collaborator. We embrace his vision and his creative choices, or we wouldn’t have done it.” He even noted the first two Dragon seasons are well-regarded on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Some of this comes with the territory,” Bloys continued. “The idea that [George] is going to agree with every creator or showrunner that is either developing or producing—two artists are not always going to agree.”

Martin has since moved on to Kingdoms and wasn’t as involved with the third season of Dragon as he normally would’ve been, and Bloys didn’t touch on whether he’d get back involved for season four. As far as that season goes, Bloys reiterated the fourth would be the last, with Condal currently working with the writers to figure out how many episodes will make up that season. However many it gets, expect that season to function as a “natural end to this particular history of that House of the Targaryens.”

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