George R.R. Martin Praises Next Game of Thrones Spin-off Following House of the Dragon Drama

While George R.R. Martin may have had issues with House of the Dragon Season 2, he’s got nothing but positive things to say about the next Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, at this time.

On September 2, 2024, author George R.R. Martin wrote a now-deleted blog post detailing some of the issues that he had with House of the Dragon Season 2.

Martin specifically criticized the handling of the “Blood & Cheese” sequence that took place in the Season 2 premiere, as he argued that not including Maelor in the scene could lead to larger ramifications for the overall project. 

A spokesperson for HBO responded to Martin’s comments, saying to Variety, “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. Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow. We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.”

What did George R.R. Martin say about the next Game of Thrones spin-off?

According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, HBO executives were “frustrated but not surprised” by Martin’s comments.

The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Martin for comment about the evolving situation. Instead, Martin praised A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new Game of Thrones spin-off expected to premiere in 2025 that is based on the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas.

“I visited the set in Northern Ireland in July and loved what I saw,” Martin said. “Great cast. [The lead characters] Dunk and Egg look as if they walked out of the pages of my book. My readers are going to love them. I certainly do. [Showrunner Ira Parker] is doing a great job.”

The series will star Peter Claffey, Dexter Sol Ansell, Finn Bennett, Bertie Carvel, and more. A premiere date for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has not yet been announced by HBO.