According to Variety, HBO is spending just “under $20 million” per episode for House of the Dragon’s debut season, which comes out on August 21. This would make the spin-off’s first season cost HBO more than the original HBO fantasy series by around $5 million for each episode. $20 million is not a small amount, but it’s not as much as you’d expect. A lot has changed in the past three years since Game of Thrones ended in 2019. The influx of streaming money from the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as increased competition, among other factors, have given rise to bigger budgets allotted by studios to their flagship shows. TLDR; HBO is getting off cheap with House of the Dragon. Game of Thrones remains controversial until this day. After dominating headlines for most of the 2010s, HBO’s award-winning hit fantasy series all but disappeared from the public consciousness following the backlash from the “rushed” last two seasons. We’ll find out soon enough how House of the Dragon will fare amidst high expectations from skeptical audiences. For what it’s worth, House of the Dragon will have the full backing of George R.R. Martin. The novelist is the co-creator of the prequel that is also based on his 2018 novel, Fire & Blood, which, just like the A Song of Ice & Fire, remains unfinished. With a more involved George R.R. Martin, House of the Dragon and other incoming Game of Thrones spin-offs should have a better and more cohesive story.
