HBO’s latest television series set in the world of Westeros is nearly here, with House of the Dragon set to release its premiere episode on August 22, 2022. While some fans of George R. R. Martin’s creation are undoubtedly excited about the series, other fans are trepidatious, remembering how they felt after the last season of Game of Thrones.
The now-infamous eighth and final season of Game of Thrones was perhaps the most hated final season of any television series, because the season felt rushed and certain storylines felt out of place, not staying true to the characters. As for whose fault it was, we might never know – we’ll see how difficult Martin’s version of events is, if he finishes the books – but we do know who received the brunt of the blame; David Benioff, and D. B. Weiss.
Benioff and Weiss were the showrunners of the entirety of Game of Thrones, which made it that much more tragic when they seemingly dropped the ball for that last season. Because of their perceived blunder, it is only natural to wonder if they will be in charge of House of the Dragon as well. So let’s take a look at the showrunners of House of the Dragon and note where you might have seen their work before, including their work on Game of Thrones.
Who are the showrunners for House of the Dragon?
No, the showrunners for House of the Dragon are not the same showrunners from Game of Thrones. Instead of Benioff and Weiss, the showrunners for House of the Dragon are Ryan J. Condal and Miguel Sapochnik. This is Ryan J. Condal’s first entry into the world of Westeros, and he helped created the series alongside George R. R. Martin. Condal previously created the series Colony, which starred Josh Holloway, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Peter Jacobson. He also wrote the films Hercules and Rampage, both of which starred Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Miguel Sapochnik, on the other hand, is a veteran of Game of Thrones. Sapochnik directed some of the best episodes of Game of Thrones, including “Hardhome,” “Battle of the Bastards,” and “The Winds of Winter.” He also directed the episodes “The Bells,” “The Long Night,” and “The Gift.” He will be directing three episodes of House of the Dragon, hopefully bringing some of the epic nature of his episodes to the new series. He also directed the 2010 film Repo Men, and episodes of Banshee, Fringe, and House M.D.
Both of these showrunners clearly have a pedigree, that will hopefully spell success for House of the Dragon. Although, so did Benioff and Weiss, so maybe don’t get your hopes up.
House of the Dragon soars onto HBO on August 22, 2022.
