Miguel Sapochnik will not return as the co-showrunner for House of the Dragon season two.
House of the Dragon couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for HBO with a record-breaking debut and positive reactions, which have led to an early season two renewal. The Game of Thrones prequel is without David Benioff and D.B. Weiss this time around. Ryan Condal and longtime Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik have been serving as the showrunners for House of the Dragon, at least for its first season.
House of the Dragon Loses a Showrunner
The Hollywood Reporter has now revealed that Miguel Sapochnik will not be back for season two. Sapochnik’s exit is reportedly due to an “exhausting three years of effort” getting House of the Dragon up and running.
Miguel Sapochnik will continue to work with HBO under a first-look deal and Ryan Condal will become the sole showrunner of the Game of Thrones prequel. Sapochnik shared the following in a statement:
“Working within the Thrones universe for the past few years has been an honor and a privilege, especially spending the last two with the amazing cast and crew of House of the Dragon. I am so proud of what we accomplished with season 1 and overjoyed by the enthusiastic reaction of our viewers. It was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally. As I do so, though, I am deeply comforted to know that Alan will be joining the series. He’s someone I’ve known and respected for a long time, and I believe this precious series could not be in safer hands. I am so glad to remain a part of the HBO and House of the Dragon family and, of course, I wish Ryan and his team success and all the best with season 2 and beyond.”
As Miguel Sapochnik alluded to in his statement, House of the Dragon will be bringing in Thor: The Dark World director Alan Taylor for season two. Taylor will direct several episodes next season and serve as an executive producer. Taylor is a Game of Thrones veteran who is excited for his return to Westeros:
“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be back at HBO, immersing myself in the world of the Targaryens, I look forward to working closely with Ryan as House of the Dragon grows into its second season. Ryan, Miguel and George have launched an extraordinary story, in a rich and fascinating world. Returning to Westeros will be a huge undertaking and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
HBO also released a statement regarding the recent changes behind-the-scenes for House of the Dragon‘s next season:
“Miguel Sapochnik has done amazing work on the first season of House of the Dragon, establishing its signature look and feel. This series simply could not have come together the way it did without him. While we would have loved to have Miguel continue in the same role, we are thrilled to have his ongoing collaboration in this new creative capacity. Looking forward, we’ve had a decades-long relationship with Alan Taylor, and we are delighted to have him join Ryan and rest the talented team.”
Here is the synopsis for the Game of Thrones spin-off series:
Based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, the series will tell the story of House Targaryen (a.k.a. the House that gave us the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen) and take place 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan J. Condal serve as co-showrunners on House of the Dragon and are executive producing alongside George R. R. Martin. The series features a star-studded cast that includes Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Paddy Considine, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, and Sonoya Mizuno.
New episodes of House Of The Dragon premiere on HBO and HBO Max every Sunday at 9 ET. Stay tuned for all the latest news on Game of Thrones, and subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more original video content.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
