Director Clare Kilner explains the shift in House of the Dragon season two’s episode count from that of season one.
Fans of House of the Dragon can expect a change in the upcoming second season, as it will feature a slightly shorter episode count compared to its debut season. Clare Kilner, the director of the series, recently shed light on the decision in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The move stems from a creative choice made by showrunner Ryan Condal, who now takes the reins solo following the departure of Miguel Sapochnik. This change in episode count is indicative of a strategic shift in storytelling, allowing for a more focused and intense narrative.
“There are eight wonderful episodes with so much happening in every episode, and we have trouble, at times, bringing them down to one hour. Ryan’s decision was to give it a good opening and a good ending, and they’re jam-packed with emotional and visually exciting events.”
Set against the backdrop of Westeros, House of the Dragon serves as a prequel to the Game of Thrones series. The show transports viewers two centuries into the past and delves into the power dynamics of the Targaryen dynasty, a central focus being the heated struggle for succession following the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen. With this new season, the spotlight remains on the drama and pivotal events within the Targaryen lineage, condensed into eight carefully crafted episodes.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Remains Uninterrupted Amidst Ongoing Industry Strikes
House of the Dragon stands out as one of the few ongoing productions that has managed to navigate around the prevailing strikes within the Hollywood industry. The second season’s production persevered, thanks to having all scripts completed ahead of the strike. This unexpected continuation of filming aligns with George R.R. Martin’s acknowledgment that the second season was already halfway completed. He wrote:
“One of the few shows till shooting is HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, as you may have read. That’s true. I am told the second season is half done. ALL of the scripts had been finished months before the WGA strike began. No writing has been done since, to the best of my knowledge. HOTD is shot mostly in London (and a little bit in Wales, Spain, and various other locations), which is why filming has continued. The actors are members of the British union, Equity, not SAG-AFTRA, and though Equity strongly supports their American cousins (they have a big rally planned to show that support), British law forbids them from staging a sympathy strike. If they walk, they have no protection against being fired for breach of contract, or even sued.”
In a previous interview with Deadline, HBO Drama Chief Francesca Orsi shed new light on the future of House of the Dragon. While initial indications from both author George R.R. Martin and showrunner Ryan Condal pointed towards a four-season trajectory for the show, Orsi’s remarks suggest that the series might extend beyond this planned scope. She revealed that discussions are still ongoing, with the possibility that the story might require more time to fully unfold.
Although no final decision has been made, Orsi’s insights imply that the series is likely to comprise at least four seasons, and potentially more, in order to do justice to its narrative depth.
