House of the Dragonhas been a huge success for HBO, but the production was not without some hitches. According to some sources, showrunner Miguel Sapochnik departed the series over a production credit dispute.
House of the Dragonwas an absolute phenomenon when it aired last year. The series' first season featured two showrunners: Ryan Condal and Sapochnik. Sapochnik had previously been a director on some of the biggest episodes ofGame of Thrones,including “Hardhome,” “Battle of the Bastards,” “The Winds of Winter,” and “The Long Night.” When it was announced that Sapochnik wasstepping down as House of the Dragonshowrunnerahead of season 2, it came as a shock.
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According to a report byPuck, Sapochnik allegedly decided to departHouse of the Dragonafter requesting his wife, Alexis Raben, be made a producer on the series' second season. Raben had previously been credited as a producer on one episode of the show. She also portrayed the character of Talya, a handmaiden for Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and spy for Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), inHouse of the Dragonseason 1.
The report alleges that HBO declined to bring on Raben as a producer, citing her inexperience. Sapochnik reportedly exited theHouse of the Dragonafter that, which leaves Condal to hold down the fort on his own. Neither Condal nor Sapochnik has commented on this report.
Sapochnik was a well-regarded figure amongGame of Thronesfans. His episodes were famous for featuring some action-packed battles, and his episodes were regarded as some of the best in the series. He also broughtGame of Thrones’Night King(Vladimir Furdik) to life, and the ending to “Hardhome” energized the fanbase, though many felt that hype fizzled out by the end of the show.
The report is quite a shock if it is accurate. With nepotism being in the cultural limelight, many are wondering if this report is accurate, and if it is, many fans question if Sapochnik made the right move. In the meantime, it doesn’t appear that the show is going through a difficult transition period. Condal has already promised morewar and humor inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, and the Dance of the Dragons promises to bring plenty more drama and intrigue to viewers' screens.
House of the Dragonseason 1 is available on HBO Max.
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