George RR Martin says he ‘doesn’t trust’ the internet over Game of Thrones finale backlash

‘Twitter is not real life,’ adds HBO Max content chief

George RR Martin has hit out at “toxic internet” culture over the Game of Thrones backlash.

The writer behind HBO’s hit fantasy series had strong words for internet fans ahead of the release of the prequel show House of the Dragon.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Martin reflected on the reaction to the finale of Game of Thrones, which was derided by many fans.

Petitions to remake the eighth and final season reached more than 1.8 million signatures.

The writer said: “The f***ing toxic internet and these podcasts out there saying that season eight left such a bad impression that people say, ‘Oh, I’m never going to watch them again.’ I don’t trust them anymore.”

Casey Bloys, the HBO Max content chief, added: “It was a social media backlash. I think in multiple parts of our society, we are reminding ourselves that Twitter is not real life.

“We knew it was going to be divisive and, of course, you want all fans to be happy but that’s never going to happen.”

He continued: “There weren’t a lot of people walking around despondent or upset. It’s a take that reads well but probably doesn’t fully reflect viewer feelings.”

House of the Dragon debuts on 21 August 2022. In the UK, the series will air on Sky Atlantic.

The new series will introduce a new dynasty into the TV universe: the ancient House Velaryon.

In a recent interview, the showrunners have said that House of the Dragon will feature fewer sex scenes than Game of Thrones.