George R.R. Martin explains how House of the Dragon will differ from Game of Thrones

The creator of A Song of Ice and Fire explained in an interview why House of the Dragon will be very different from the previous show, Game of Thrones.

Even though Game of Thrones’ ending disappointed many fans, it’s follow-up is billed as being a change of pace.

Not only is House of the Dragon said to have given more creative input to creator George R.R. Martin, but the show is tonally quite distinct.

Described by one showrunner as “Succession with dragons,” the creator of the series seems to echo this sentiment as he discussed it in an interview with Greta Johnsen and Jason Concepcion.

When asked what part of House of the Dragon he is excited to see resonate with audiences, Martin said “I mean, House of the Dragon is different from Game of Thrones…yes, both shows involve issues of power…House of the Dragon is much more like a Shakespearean tragedy.”

On the other hand, Martin says, Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire are more like a traditional fantasy.

For instance, the writer points to the White Walkers as this existential threat that the heroes will have to conquer. There is no omnipresent threat facing humanity or the protagonists of House of the Dragon.

Instead, Martin says that the show is very “human grounded and it’s people who were once friends coming to not be friends.”

It seems that the Succession comparison is apt and that House of the Dragon will be far more character-centric than Game of Thrones even was.

Unfortunately, that means that fans of Game of Thrones for its fantasy elements may be left a bit underwhelmed.