George R.R. Martin Downplays House of the Dragon Competition Against Rings of Power

The release dates of House of the Dragon and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are only a few weeks away so it's understandable that people are pitting the two shows against each other. One notable person who has addressed the competition is George R.R. Martin, who went as far as to say he hopes the Game of Thrones spin-off series wins against the other show.

However, it looks like George R.R. Martin is changing his tune. The A Song of Ice and Fire author has pointed out to The Hollywood Reporter that House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power have no reason to compete.

"We’re not even on the same night!" Martin said about the two shows. "It’s not a death match or anything."

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George R.R. Martin then added that he is hoping for the best for The Rings of Power. "I wish them success. I hope they wish for our success. We don’t have to be bracketed together," he said.

Martin had previously joked about the competition between the two fantasy shows but also admitted he is biased as he shared his hopes that House of the Dragon will win more awards than The Rings of Power. And frankly, we can't blame him but it's great to know that he is supporting both projects.

Both House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power will serve as prequels to their established franchises. The former is set 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones while the latter is set even further in the past as it reveals how the rings of power were created.

House of the Dragon premieres on HBO on August 21, 2022. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be released on Amazon Prime on September 2, 2022.

Related: House of the Dragon Teases Major Time Leaps as Aemond Targaryen Debuts in Trailer