Busy working on the sixth book in the “Song of Ice and Fire” series, “The Winds of Winter,” George R.R. Martin shared on his blog about his recent trip to London. During the trip, he met with his book publisher, the team working on the Westeros stage adaptation, and the writers of “House of the Dragon.” They screened the first two episodes of Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” for Martin.
In a blog post on December 6, Martin highlighted the sneak preview of the first two episodes of “House of the Dragon,” Season 2, given by showrunner Ryan Condal. Martin admitted his lack of objectivity due to the connection with his own work but expressed that he found both episodes impressive, even in their unfinished state. He described them as dark, emotional, and powerful, with the potential to evoke tears, emphasizing his appreciation for such intense and tragic storytelling influenced by his love for Shakespeare’s tragedies and history plays.
Martin not only got a sneak peek at the first two episodes of Season 2 of “House of the Dragon,” scheduled for early summer 2024, but he also spent two days deeply engaged in discussions with showrunner Ryan Condal and the writing team about the potential third and fourth seasons. Although HBO has not officially renewed the “Game of Thrones” prequel series beyond Season 2, Martin has previously mentioned on his blog that he believes it will take four full seasons, each consisting of 10 episodes, to properly depict the Dance of the Dragons storyline.
Describing the discussions about future seasons as lively and fun, Martin expressed that two days were not nearly enough to cover all the necessary ground. He emphasized the complexity of the story, stating that even 20 days might not have been sufficient.
In addition to the discussions, Martin enjoyed the opportunity to tour the London set of “House of the Dragon,” an experience that had apparently been delayed due to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.
Martin expressed his amazement by saying, “Oh my god!” He went on to share his thoughts, stating that nothing he has ever seen compares to the Red Keep and Dragonstone sets built at Leavesden Studios in London. Describing them as enormous, breathtaking, and incredibly realistic, he felt like he had traveled through a time portal to medieval Westeros. Martin, who loves castles and has visited many real medieval ones, emphasized that none of them can rival the grandeur and authenticity of the Red Keep set.
Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” will depict the Targaryen civil war, also known as the Dance of the Dragons. The trailer suggests that the season will feature a fierce struggle for power, family betrayals, and plenty of dragon-related action. Set almost two centuries before the events of “Game of Thrones,” the series stars actors such as Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. The cast also includes returning members from Season 1, like Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham.
Source: Variety
