HBO boss breaks silence on Game of Thrones movie, Jon Snow series & House of the Dragon criticism

HBO and Max chief Casey Bloys has addressed all things Westeros, including the newly reported Game of Thrones movie, the axed Jon Snow series, and George R.R. Martin’s criticism of House of the Dragon.

It’s been a strange year for the world of Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon, by most accounts, was a success; solid viewership, strong reviews, and there’s a strong demand for Season 3.

However, that came at a price: its truncated length and cliffhanger left a bitter taste, and Martin lambasted the latest season in a lengthy, now-deleted blog post that also spoiled key plot points down the line.

It’s also been a bit unclear what’s coming in the future. There’s the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms spinoff next year, the Ten Thousand Ships and Sea Snake shows are still in development, and an Aegon’s Conquest project is also in the works.

Bantam Books

During a press event this week (as per Variety), Bloys addressed several matters – including Martin’s response to House of the Dragon.

“We love George. Obviously, I will say George and Game of Thrones really changed the course of HBO. So I want him to be happy. He’s very important to me, to us,” he said.

“But when we put shows together, you know, you’re putting a marriage together and marriages can be difficult, especially when Ryan is making creative decisions, adapting work. It can be fraught, and like any marriage, sometimes it gets rocky.

“Would I prefer that everybody get along and it goes well? Of course. But it’s a creative process. It’s it’s always going to have its bumps, and it’s to be expected.”

HBO

As for the Game of Thrones movie, he confirmed Michael DeLuca and Pamela Abdy are developing an “idea… we’ll see if it’s good. We’ll read the scripts along with them.”

“I think it could be fun and interesting. I mean, that’s the point of development, you see is there a story that’s worthy of being in theaters and a big spectacle? I think it would be fun,” he added.

What about Kit Harington’s Jon Snow spinoff? Earlier this year, the star said it was “off the table” because they “couldn’t find the right story to tell.”

Harington also teased that “there may be a time in the future where we return to it”, a sentiment echoed by Bloys – albeit briefly. “Maybe we’ll try again,” he said.

“Practically speaking, you don’t want to overdo anything. There’s no blinking green lights on any other ones. At the moment, we take our time with them, with the development, and only do them when we can serve it.”

In the meantime, read our breakdown of every Targaryen king, House of the Dragon’s dragons, and find out more about the backlash to House of the Dragon Season 2.