‘House of the Dragon’ Co-Showrunner Miguel Sapochnik Exits, Alan Taylor Returning to Westeros
Major shake-up inside the House of the Dragon as Games of Thrones veteran Miguel Sapochnik is leaving the series after working on season 1 as co-showrunner and director.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news on Wednesday, citing “three exhausting years of effort” as the only reason behind Sapochnik’s departure. House of the Dragon co-creator Ryan Condal will now serve as the series’ sole showrunner and continue to work closely with co-creator George R.R. Martin.
Sapochnik recently entered into a first-look deal with HBO to develop new projects, and will remain an executive producer for the duration of the series. He released a statement to announce his exit:
“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 one 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 two and beyond.”
Indeed, Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor, who helmed two big-screen franchise projects in Thor: The Dark World and Terminator: Genisys, is returning to Westeros for season 2 of House of the Dragon. HBO is keeping Thrones veterans within arm’s reach, and so far, it seems like that approach is paying off. Taylor said the following about his return:
“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.”
The move comes on the heels of the series premiere — directed by Sapochnik — which delivered 25 million viewers over its first week since release and scored a quick renewal. Last Sunday’s second episode gained slightly more viewers instead of losing them. Sapochnik also directed two more hours (episodes six and seven) in the debut season.
You can read our review of the first six episodes (out of ten total) of House of the Dragon here.
Francisco J. Ruiz is that guy who has watched Jurassic Park a thousand times and loves Star Wars. His hunger for movies is only matched by his love for video games. He graduated in English Studies from the University of Malaga, in Spain. As he keeps writing about what he enjoys (and doesn’t) for websites all over, he’s continuing his studies.
