George R.R. Martin gave fans an update on where his numerous projects stand amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes — and there’s still some reason to be hopeful.
The author, 74, explained that House of the Dragon season 2 is still underway despite the work stoppages in the United States. “I am told the second season is half done,” he wrote in a blog post on Saturday, July 22. “ALL of the scripts had been finished months before the WGA strike began. No writing has been done since, to the best of my knowledge.”
As for the reason the show is still filming, Martin explained that HOTD primarily shoots in London and other European locations. Because most of the show’s actors are not American, they are part of the British actors union, Equity, rather than SAG-AFTRA.
“Though Equity strongly supports their American cousins (they have a big rally planned to show that support), British law forbids them from staging a sympathy strike,” Martin wrote. “If they walk, they have no protection against being fired for breach of contract, or even sued.”
Season 2 of the HBO fantasy series began production in April. Shortly before the SAG-AFTRA strike kicked off on July 14, Equity issued a statement in support but noted that its members could face serious consequences for participating.
“Equity stands full square behind our sister union in their claim, and the action their Board have agreed to take,” the British union said earlier this month. “Equity too is experiencing bullish engagers attempting to undermine its collectively bargained agreements. SAG-AFTRA has our total solidarity in this fight.”
House of the Dragon is based on Martin’s 2018 book Fire & Blood, which is a prequel to his series A Song of Ice and Fire. ASOIAF currently consists of five books and served as the inspiration for Game of Thrones, but Martin is planning at least two more volumes. He has been working on the sixth book, The Winds of Winter, for over a decade.
Martin said on Friday that the strike has turned his attention from his TV work to other projects he has in development.
“As for me personally, my overall deal with HBO was suspended on June 1. I still have plenty to do, of course. In that, I am one of the lucky ones,” he wrote, explaining that the strike is about “the entry level writers, the story editors, the students hoping to break in, the actor who has four lines, the guy working his first staff job who dreams of creating his own show one day.”
Because the strikes do not affect the theater industry, Martin is still at work on a stage play called The Iron Throne. He also assured fans that he’s steadily chipping away at the next ASOIAF book.
“And, yes, yes, of course, I’ve been working on Winds of Winter,” he wrote. “Almost every day. Writing, rewriting, editing, writing some more. Making steady progress. Not as fast as I would like … certainly not as fast as YOU would like … but progress nonetheless. It keeps me out of trouble.”
