George RR Martin calls out House Of The Dragon ‘toxic’ plot changes
Author George RR Martin has criticised the second series of House Of The Dragon, saying he “argued against” a plot change because it now creates a “butterfly effect” for future episodes.
The writer, who is co-creator and an executive producer on the show, warned in a since-deleted blog post “there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come”.
Martin had previously said he would share “everything that’s gone wrong” with the adaptation of HBO’s House Of The Dragon, which is partly based on his book Fire & Blood and is the prequel to the hit series, Game Of Thrones.
In the lengthy blog post, he described a disagreement about removing a character, Prince Maelor, from the plot – insisting it has larger repercussions for series three and four.
He said: “The prince’s birth was no longer just going to be pushed back to series three. He was never going to be born at all. The younger son of Aegon and Helaena would never appear.”
Actress Phia Saban, who plays Helaena Targaryen, appeared at the series two premiere of House Of The Dragon in London in June. Pic: AP
Martin said there were practical reasons against casting another child, including the cost.
But he said showrunner Ryan Condal previously “assured me that we were not losing Prince Maelor, simply postponing him” after the author had initially “argued against” dropping the character from the second series.
In a statement reported by showbiz news website Deadline, HBO defended Mr Condal: “Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow.
“We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two series will continue to enjoy it.”
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‘You’re only as good as your last episode’
Martin went on to compare the HBO series with Fire & Blood, which the show is based on.
He said his book features Aegon and Helaena Targaryen – played by Tom Glynn-Carney and Phia Saban, respectively – who have twins Jaehaera and Jaehaerys along with a younger son, Maelor.
But he said in the show the couple only have the twins.
He said: “Maelor is a two-year-old toddler in Fire & Blood, but like our butterfly he has an impact on the story all out of proportion to his size.”
He argued the changes “may make sense in terms of budgets and shooting schedules. But simpler is not better”.
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On a recent episode of HBO’s official House Of The Dragon podcast, Mr Condal explained “we had to make some compromises in rendering the story” when it came to eliminating the Maelor character.
“It did have a ripple effect, and we decided that we were going to lean into it and try to make it a strength, instead of playing it as a weakness.”
Meanwhile, George RR Martin’s blog post also described how the original story in his book progresses [we are avoiding any spoilers], speculates on the show’s character and plot development, and finally ends on a cryptic note.
“There are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for series three and four,” he said.
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail ahead of his sentencing on prostitution-related charges.
Judge Arun Subramanian said the hip-hop mogul had failed to show sufficient evidence he is not a flight risk and also cited admissions of previous violence made during his trial.
Combs, 55, has been in prison since his arrest in September last year.
During a two-month trial, jurors heard allegations that he had coerced former girlfriends, including singer and model Cassie Ventura, into having drug-fuelled sex marathons with male sex workers, while he watched and filmed them.
Diddy fell to his knees after the verdict was delivered last month. Pic: Reuters/ Jane Rosenberg
In July, he was found guilty of two counts of transportation for prostitution – but cleared of more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking, which carried potential life sentences.
The rapper’s legal team hailed this a “victory” and immediately applied for bail ahead of sentencing, citing his acquittal on the top charges.
After this was denied, they submitted another application last week. Judge Subramanian has now rejected the request again.
In denying the motion for bail, the judge found Combs had failed to show sufficient evidence to counter arguments he is a flight risk, writing in a court filing: “Increasing the amount of the bond or devising additional conditions doesn’t change the calculus given the circumstances and heavy burden of proof that Combs bears.”
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He also found that an argument by the music star’s legal team that the squalor and danger of the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), where he is being held, did not warrant release.
“The public outcry concerning these conditions has come from all corners,” the judge wrote. “But as Combs acknowledges, MDC staff has been able to keep him safe and attend to his needs, even during an incident of threatened violence from an inmate.”
As well as Combs’s bail application, his legal team has also filed a motion calling for him to be acquitted or given a new trial on the prostitution-related charges only.
The judge has not yet responded to this application.
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How the Diddy trial unfolded
How long could Diddy be jailed for?
Combs is due to be sentenced on 3 October and could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
Discussions on sentencing guidelines which followed the jury’s verdict suggest it is unlikely he will be jailed for this long, with an estimate of around two to five years, taking into account time already served.
However, it is ultimately up to Judge Arun Subramanian to decide the rapper’s punishment.
On Friday, Donald Trump was asked during an interview about a potential pardon for Combs following speculation about the issue.
The president said it was unlikely, adding that the rapper was “very hostile” during his presidential campaign.
Combs, who co-founded Bad Boy Records and launched the career of the late Notorious BIG, was for decades a huge figure in pop culture – a Grammy-winning hip-hop artist and business entrepreneur, who presided over an empire ranging from fashion to reality TV.
As well as the criminal conviction, he is also facing several civil lawsuits.
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
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In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
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