Martin Details Abysmal Relationship with House of the Dragon Showrunner

George R.R. Martin, the author behind the A Song of Ice and Fire series, has described his professional relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal as "abysmal" in a recent interview. The 77-year-old writer, who co-created the HBO prequel series with Condal, detailed a once-collaborative partnership that deteriorated during production of its second season, raising questions about creative control in adaptations of his work.

Martin hired Condal to helm the series, which adapts his 2018 novel Fire & Blood and serves as a prequel to the flagship Game of Thrones, which concluded in 2019. House of the Dragon premiered in 2022 to strong viewership and critical acclaim. Throughout the first season, Martin said the two worked closely as partners. "I would read early drafts of the scripts. I would give notes. He would change some things. It was working really well, I thought," Martin recounted.

Tensions emerged after the departure of co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, an Emmy-winning director from Game of Thrones, following Season 1. Martin had backed Condal during a reported disagreement that led to Sapochnik's exit. As production shifted to Season 2, which aired in summer...