House Of The Dragon Executive Producer Leaves Show Ahead Of Season 2

It appears that all is not well in Westeros. Executive producer Jocelyn Diaz is leaving the House of The Dragon production team after just one season. According to reports, she had a one-year deal with an option for a second, which she chose to not pick up.

Diaz' exit from House of the Dragon was announced just a few weeks after co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik decided to step down from his role ahead of season 2. Co-creator and executive producer Ryan Condal will now be the sole showrunner for season 2, working closely with co-creator and executive producer George R.R. Martin.

Per Deadline, Diaz' departure was a recent decision, as at the time of Sapochnik's departure it was expected that Diaz would work alongside Sarah Hess (Orange Is the New Black) as an executive producer for season 2. For now, it appears that Hess will stay on board. Diaz and Sapochnik join producer Ron Schmidt, who left during the production of the first season. To replace the trio, Condal and Martin added Alan Taylor to their team, a veteran producer who directed episodes of the original Game of Thrones series. He will join House of the Dragon as a director and executive producer.

Before working on House of The Dragon, Diaz worked on a number of documentary movies and TV series, including Serena, America Divided, and Election Day: Lens Across America. She also worked as the Vice President of HBO from 2009-2011. Diaz has not made any public comments about her departure yet, and Sapochnik left House of the Dragon on amiable terms with his fellow producers. When asked about the departure, Sapochnik said it was the right choice for him "personally and professionally." He also added that he "wish[es] Ryan and his team all the best with Season 2 and beyond."

Fans of the series can rest easy knowing that despite these exits, the direction of the show is unlikely to change much. Diaz was a non-writing producer on the show and Sapochnik is most well known for producing the massive battles on Game of Thrones seasons 5 and 6. He was not involved in the writing process.

With legendary writer Martin still producing, the quality of the storyline is likely to remain unchanged. There may be some changes to the special effects and battle choreography, but that remains to be seen. Regardless, fans should be excited to see what House of the Dragon season 2 has to offer.

House of the Dragon airs on Sunday at 9:00 pm EST on HBO and HBO Max.

Source: Deadline