Acclaimed Game of Thrones Director Returning for House of the Dragon

There are some creative changes hitting HBO's new hit series ahead of its second season. House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel, has shattered premiere records for HBO and was quickly renewed for Season 2. News broke on Wednesday that co-showrunner and director Miguel Sapochnik would be stepping down next season, simply serving as an executive producer and leaving the showrunning duties to Ryan Condal. Additionally, a former Game of Thrones director will be returning to the franchise, helming episodes of the second season.

Alan Taylor, who also directed Thor: The Dark World, was regarded as one of the best directors on Game of Thrones throughout its run. He directed a total of seven episodes, including "Baelor," "Fire and Blood," and "Beyond the Wall." Taylor will serve as an executive producer on House of the Dragon in Season 2 and is set to direct "multiple episodes."

"It's a pleasure and an honor to be back at HBO, immersing myself in the world of the Targaryens, I look forward to working closely with Ryan as House of the Dragon grows into its second season," Taylor said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter. "Ryan, Miguel and George have launched an extraordinary story, in a rich and fascinating world. Returning to Westeros will be a huge undertaking and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

"Miguel Sapochnik has done amazing work on the first season of House of the Dragon, establishing its signature look and feel. This series simply could not have come together the way it did without him," said HBO's statement. "While we would have loved to have Miguel continue in the same role, we are thrilled to have his ongoing collaboration in this new creative capacity. Looking forward, we've had a decades-long relationship with Alan Taylor, and we are delighted to have him join Ryan and rest the talented team."

Sapochnik directed the Game of Thrones premiere, which garnered more than 25 million views on HBO and HBO Max in the first week after its premiere.

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