“You’re going to feel it:” Matt Smith on Miguel Sapochnik’s exit from House of the Dragon season 2

Showrunner Miguel Sapochnik was sort of a bridge between the shows Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. He knew the ins and outs of the Westerosi narrative and oversaw the production of both shows. He even directed six episodes of Game of Thrones.

However, a recent report suggested that Sapochnik has left House of the Dragon because the show decided not to invite his wife into the production team. He has been a great asset to House of the Dragon team since he knew how to bring such a grand show to life with resonance.

Matt Smith addresses losing a showrunner

Matt Smith plays the complex character of Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon. Going through all kinds of highs and lows, his character is in a bit of a crisis mode in the upcoming season. In a recent interview with Variety, Smith spoke about losing Sapochnik as a showrunner and its impact on the show.

“People have got to feel like they’re getting some sense of a ‘Game of Thrones’-type of show. We wish him well — but certainly, when you lose a director of that caliber, you’re going to feel it.”

While the direction and overall feel of the show remain the same, only true cine buffs will be able to spot certain differences in the style of each director in bringing the show to life.

Also Read: House of The Dragon co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik explains how his job has changed since his Game of Thrones days

Ryan Condal is the solo showrunner

Credits: Max

As the sole showrunner, the entire burden of responsibility has fallen on Ryan Condal. He has been overseeing the production and ensuring everything gets checked off on time. Speaking about Sapochnkik’s exit and his role in House of the Dragon season 2, he claimed,

“My job is the same. I would call it director-wrangling in a non-pejorative way. We had five directors this season over eight episodes. Season 2 felt bigger and more diffuse.”

House of the Dragon may not garner as vast a fanbase as Game of Thrones did, but they are certainly not curbing their efforts to make each season bigger and better than the last.

Also Read: Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik on the hardest parts of filming Battle of the Bastards