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HBO likens working with Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin to being in a “rocky” marriage

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HBO likens working with Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin to being in a "rocky" marriage

As a movie buff with over three decades of binge-watching under my belt, I’ve seen enough TV drama to last several lifetimes. The latest spat between George R.R. Martin and HBO over House of the Dragon is like watching an epic medieval battle unfold right in our living rooms.

In September, approximately a month following the finale of HBO’s second season for the prequel series “House of the Dragon”, the author George R.R. Martin (who penned the books that both shows are adapted from) openly voiced his concerns about the show’s direction on his blog. He hinted at larger, more controversial alterations from the original source material if the show continues along its current path.

Martin swiftly removed the post, yet the impact had already been inflicted. Given that Game of Thrones is HBO’s most successful series and arguably the top TV show of the 2010s, it was astonishing to see its creator publicly criticizing the spin-off. It left one pondering whether the two creative groups could recover from such an incident.

Casey Bloys, an executive at HBO, spoke about a disagreement during a press conference. He emphasized that their collaborator is significant to him and the team. “It’s like working on a marriage,” he explained to reporters, as quoted by Deadline. “Marriages can be challenging, especially when our ‘House of the Dragon’ showrunner Ryan Condal is making creative decisions and adapting work. Tensions can rise. I wish everyone got along perfectly, but with creativity, we must expect some turbulence.

That sounds pretty much like the statement HBO released in the wake of Martin’s original blog post:

There are few greater fans of George R.R. Martin and his book Fire & Blood than the creative team on House of the Dragon, both in production and at HBO. Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow. We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.

This is a uniquely uncomfortable situation. Although I hope for the best for both Martin and for House of the Dragon, I’m more on Martin’s “side,” as it were. I enjoyed the second season of House of the Dragon and didn’t expect it to remain 100% true to Martin’s book Fire & Blood; I don’t think anyone did. But at least from my perspective, the changes made to the source material went well beyond massaging, streamlining, and buttressing the story so it works on TV. I thought the second season changed things to the point where it wasn’t the same story anymore, such as having the characters of Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) work together, whereas in the book they’re two of the driving forces behind a bitter rivalry that explodes into brutal war. I’m sure that Condal and his team have the best of intentions, but this is, in my opinion, simply not the story Martin told. I might be okay with that if the show improved on the source material, but I also think the changes have made the story less rich, interesting and entertaining, if still a decent watch. Looking at the book and show side by side, I can understand why the author, having tried to exert his influence through private channels, felt the need to go public.

I’m not entirely certain if it will end there. I’m eager to find out whether the creators of “House of the Dragon” will change their approach when season 3 is released in 2026. In the meantime, a new prequel series titled “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is set to premiere in 2025.

HBO likens working with Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin to being in a "rocky" marriage

“Maybe we’ll try again” with Jon Snow sequel, says HBO exec

Additionally, Bloys shared his thoughts regarding the potential spin-off series centered around Jon Snow’s character, originally portrayed by Kit Harington. There were whispers about the project being underway some time ago, however, recent updates suggest that its progress has stalled for now.

Bloys shared that they generate numerous concepts. Occasionally, these ideas don’t succeed. After careful consideration, everyone in the group felt that this particular idea didn’t pan out. Perhaps we’ll attempt it again in the future.

It’s accurate that HBO has been secretly developing several ideas for “Game of Thrones” spinoffs, many of which have not been publicly disclosed. The only information that leaks out is due to confidentiality breaches. This can make it difficult for executives like Bloys when they are asked for updates or criticized by journalists and fans, as the network’s progress might seem slow to us. However, we shouldn’t be privy to most of this information in the first place. It’s normal for a network to test new ideas in private, and if they decide the idea isn’t worth pursuing, they likely have sound reasons. If HBO publicly announced these projects only to abandon them later, I would understand the frustration. But for now, it seems like we’re getting worked up over nothing substantial.

If they ever consider resurrecting a Jon Snow sequel concept down the line, that sounds great. I enjoy getting information ahead of time, but on the other hand, I’d prefer to hear about it only when HBO deems it significant enough to officially announce.

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2024-11-13 00:41

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