George R.R. Martin has expressed frustration with how his stories have been adapted for television, particularly with the showrunners of House of the Dragon. Initially, he was thrilled to see Game of Thrones come to life and hoped his stories would continue to expand across different media for years to come. However, he’s become disappointed with creative choices made in both Game of Thrones – especially how the series concluded – and the ongoing House of the Dragon, leading to a strained relationship with those involved.
Look, I’m a huge George R.R. Martin fan, and I recently read his comments about the show adaptations. He admitted he has an ego, which, honestly, any creator would! What really struck me was his desire for faithfulness to his original work – he built this incredible world, Westeros, and naturally wants to be involved and have his vision respected. Apparently, Warner Bros. – who technically own the rights now – isn’t always giving him that. HBO’s Francesca Orsi has said they’ll consider his input, but ultimately do what they think is best for the show. It sounds like some of the changes they made with House of the Dragon didn’t sit well with him, and I can totally understand why – it’s his world, after all!
George R.R. Martin described his working relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal as extremely strained, saying it’s ‘worse than rocky’ and ‘abysmal.’ Martin explained he was the one who initially hired Condal, and that they had a collaborative partnership during the first season. He reviewed early script drafts and provided feedback, which Condal would often incorporate, leading Martin to believe things were going well.
Things shifted significantly during the second season. Martin explained that Candal essentially stopped taking his feedback. He’d offer suggestions, but they weren’t implemented. Sometimes Candal would offer an explanation, but often he’d just say he’d consider it, and the situation steadily worsened, causing Martin increasing frustration. Eventually, HBO intervened, asking Martin to send his notes to them instead of directly to Candal, and they would then discuss the feedback with the showrunner.
Despite ongoing issues, Martin published a blog post expressing his frustrations. HBO responded by asking his representatives to remove the post, feeling it was overly negative. Martin argued the post was largely positive, but HBO zeroed in on the criticisms. He had planned to write a series of six blog posts detailing his concerns, but was prevented from doing so. During a discussion about the third season, Martin told HBO he no longer felt connected to the show’s direction.
What George R.R. Martin’s DIscontent Means For House of the Dragon
HBO and House of the Dragon are facing some challenges. While season three is coming this year, the show will end with season four in 2028. Fans are likely to be disappointed to learn that George R.R. Martin isn’t thrilled with the show’s direction. Viewership numbers declined in season two, with the finale attracting 8.9 million viewers across all platforms (1.47 million in the U.S.). Interestingly, even the least-watched episode of the first season still drew 1.56 million U.S. viewers.
Ryan Condal explained that he attempted to collaborate with George R.R. Martin, but the author struggled to accept the challenges of adapting the story for television. Condal ultimately had to proceed without Martin’s full involvement to ensure the series moved forward. Martin was briefly removed from the project but later brought back, though he remains unable to discuss the details. The level of influence Martin has over the final season of House of the Dragon could significantly impact how fans perceive its success.
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2026-01-17 21:40