We love our behind-the-scenes drama as much as anyone else, but we never could have thought that the House of the Dragon set would be plagued by one.
It looks like the drama on the set of House of the Dragon is just as intense as the drama on screen. According to a report from media startup Puck, co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik’s departure from the hit HBO series was not as amicable as originally thought.
Sapochnik’s wife, Alexis Raben, appeared in four episodes of House of the Dragon as an actress and was a credited producer on the first season. However, when Sapochnik requested that Raben be included on the producing team for the show’s second season, HBO reportedly refused, citing her lack of experience. Raben’s only producing credit is on the first season of the series.
The report states that the disagreement over Raben’s involvement in the show led to a heated dispute, requiring the intervention of a mediator. Despite the mediator’s efforts, Sapochnik ultimately decided to leave the show, reportedly firing his agents at WME before moving to rival agency CAA with his wife.
HBO has not commented on the drama surrounding Sapochnik’s exit from House of the Dragon. Sapochnik, who directed the pilot and seventh episode of the series, currently has a first-look deal with the channel to develop new projects. Creator Ryan Condal, who previously worked with Sapochnik on House of the Dragon, will now serve as the sole showrunner for the series, and some fans find it alarming.
Others, however, believe in Condal showrunning abilities and excited to see what he can actually do by himself in the upcoming second season.
“He seems like a true book fan, and someone who is genuinely in it out of being a fan and who has a lot of respect for George – not just someone involved for a resume builder,” as one of the fans put it on Reddit.
It’s not uncommon for there to be drama behind the scenes of a television show, but it’s certainly surprising to hear about such tension on the set of House of the Dragon. Let’s hope that the drama stays on screen and the team can come together to bring us a successful second season, currently slated for 2024.
