HBO has officially issued a statement as a reaction to George R. R. Martin’s recently deleted blog post in which he criticized certain creative decisions made in House of the Dragon Season 2. In the statement, HBO defends the show’s direction. The controversy roots from Martin’s comments on the differences between the book, Fire & Blood, and the show, House of the Dragon.
In the statement, HBO asserts:
“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.”
HBO explained that tough decisions are often necessary when adapting a book for TV, praising Ryan Condal and his team for their work. They also highlighted that the series continues to be beloved by millions of viewers, and they expect that trend to continue.
Challenges faced by Ryan Condal while making House of the Dragon
On the latest Game of Thrones podcast, showrunner Ryan Condal discussed the challenges of adapting Fire & Blood. He calls it a ‘history book’ that does not necessarily have detailed characters or moments. He also says that even though the history is fictional, yet they have to take a similar approach as that of adapting a real history chapter.
In Condal’s words, this requires the creative team to create a ‘three-dimensional reality’ for the audience so that they get to know about the characters’ internal lives and also their flaws and desires. So, sometimes this entails changing or omitting some elements from it so that it can be adapted for the screen.
George R.R. Martin’s Concerns
Martin expressed concern over the omission of the character Maelor, a significant figure in Fire & Blood. He believes Maelor’s absence impacts the plot, particularly diluting the intensity of the Blood and Cheese scene. According to Martin, the killers in the book are portrayed as scarier and crueler, making his version of the scene more intense.
Despite Martin’s reservations, HBO stands by Condal’s vision. The show remains a major success, with Condal indicating it will conclude after the fourth season.
House of the Dragon can be streamed on HBO and Max.
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