'House of the Dragon': Dispute Over Producer's Wife Sparked Major Exit

By Michael Hein

A new report may explain why Miguel Sapochnik stepped down as co-showrunner on HBO's House of the Dragon. Sources close to the production told Puck News that Sapochnik decided to leave after HBO declined to keep his wife on as a producer of the series. Puck predicts that this will have ramifications for Sapochnik and HBO.

Sapochnik is married to Russian-born actress and producer Alexis Raban, previously known for appearances on Krypton, Miss March and Jeffie Was Here. She was credited as a producer on House of the Dragon Season 1, and made appearances in four episodes as Talya – a servant in the Red Keep. Two sources told Puck that HBO had decided not to keep Raben on as a producer in Season 2, and that Sapochnik had tried to insist. The cable giant reportedly "politely said no, citing her inexperience."

The disagreement apparently got very serious behind the scenes. Insiders said that HBO hired a mediator to try and de-escalate the situation and resolve the issue amicably for Sapochnik. This didn't stop Sapochnik from leaving the show, apparently feeling that he couldn't work on a set where his wife had been dropped.

Sapochnik's departure from House of the Dragon was strange from the time it was first announced in August. At the time, Sapochnik said that "it was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally." However, it also meant that he abandoned a first-look deal with HBO for future projects – potentially representing millions of dollars in earnings.

Not only that, but the ordeal led Sapochnik to fire his agents as well. The acclaimed director and producer left WME and signed on with CAA – the agency that represents his wife. There's no telling what this story could mean for HBO or Sapochnik, but insiders predict that the fallout isn't over.

Sapochnik was hired on House of the Dragon thanks to his generally acclaimed work on Game of Thrones. Even when the show was panned for its writing in later seasons, Sapochnik's direction of huge battle scenes won him praise. At the same time, many die-hard fans wanted to see the franchise move forward with fresh blood, so when Ryan Condal became the sole showrunner, few complained.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is going into production this spring and is expected to premiere in 2024. Season 1 is streaming now on HBO Max along with all eight seasons of Game of Thrones. So far, HBO and Sapochnik have not commented on new reports of their disagreements behind the scenes.

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