'House of the Dragon' Showrunner Says Sexual Violence Comments Are Taken Out of Context
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Showrunners/executive producers Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik previously sparked controversy after saying that the 'Game of Thrones' prequel series won't 'shy away' from sexual violence.

AceShowbiz - "House of the Dragon" showrunner/executive producer Ryan Condal clarified his initial comments about sexual violence on the upcoming HBO series. In a new interview at the show's world premiere on Wednesday, July 26 in Los Angeles, Condal said that his remarks were taken out of context.

"I think that quote is kind of pulled out of context," he explained to Complex about him and fellow showrunner/EP Miguel Sapochnik saying that the "Game of Thrones" prequel won't "shy away" from sexual violence. "Look, sex and violence are part of life, they're part of middle-age society, and they're part of what people come to HBO expecting. It's TV-MA."

Stressing that isn't "much" sexual violence in the show, Condal went on to say, "So I think those elements are necessary in a way to tell the story, particularly a story that takes place in this time, but the question we're always faced with as creators is, 'How are we doing it, how are we approaching that, how are we handling it?' "

He also explained that the creators thought a lot about sexual violence and whether the violence is "necessary to tell the story" of "House of the Dragon". "The world is very different than it was 10 years ago when 'Game of Thrones' started, and we're deeply conscious of that stuff," he shared. "I think that once people actually watch the show, and give it a chance instead of reading things on the internet, that they will see that we've handled it pretty well."

Prior to this, Sapochnik said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter the series "pulls back" on the amount of sex and sexual violence when compared to its predecessor. While violence is still a part of this brutal fantasy world, he noted that it would be deployed in a "careful" and "thoughtfully" depicted way.

"If anything we're going to shine a light on that aspect," Sapochnick, who directed many classsic "Game of Thrones" episodes, said. "You can't ignore the violence that was perpetrated on women by men in that time. It shouldn't be downplayed and it shouldn't be glorified."

Based on George R.R. Martin's 2018 novel "Fire & Blood", "House of the Dragon" is set 200 years before the events on the original series. It will chronicle the beginning of the end for the reign of House Targaryen. Those events eventually culminated in civil war and the extinction of the dragons.

The series stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, and Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen. The cast also includes Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Emily Carey and Sonoya Mizuno.

"House of the Dragon" premieres on HBO and HBO Max on August 21.

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