‘House of the Dragon’ showrunner shocker: quits week after premiere

“House of the Dragon” co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik has stepped down from the new HBO series.

The network told The Post Wednesday that Sapochnik — who also worked on “Game of Thrones — has “entered into a first-look deal with HBO to develop new projects.”

He will remain as executive director on “Dragon” — which just got the green light for a second season.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood, “Dragon” is set about 200 years before “Thrones,” and follows the adventures of House Targaryen — Daenerys and Jon Snow’s ancestors.

“Working within the ‘Thrones’ universe for the past few years has been an honor and a privilege, especially spending the last two with the amazing cast and crew of ‘House of the Dragon,’ ” Sapochnik said in a statement. “I am so proud of what we accomplished with Season 1 and overjoyed by the enthusiastic reaction of our viewers.

“It was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally,” he continued. “As I do so, though, I am deeply comforted to know that Alan will be joining the series. He’s someone I’ve known and respected for a long time, and I believe this precious series could not be in safer hands.”

“I am so glad to remain a part of the HBO and ‘House of the Dragon’ family and, of course, I wish Ryan and his team success and all the best with Season 2 and beyond,” Sapochnik concluded.

Ryan Condal will be the prequel’s lead showrunner until fellow “Thrones” alum Alan Taylor returns to the franchise as executive producer and director of multiple Season 2 episodes.

“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be back at HBO, immersing myself in the world of the Targaryens, I look forward to working closely with Ryan as ‘House of the Dragon’ grows into its second season,” Taylor said in a statement.

“Ryan, Miguel and George [R.R. Martin] have launched an extraordinary story, in a rich and fascinating world. Returning to Westeros will be a huge undertaking and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Taylor directed seven episodes of “Thrones” and received two Emmy nods for his work. He also directed nine episodes of “The Sopranos,” which earned him an Emmy.

Throughout his career, he has directed episodes of other HBO shows, including “Oz,” “Sex and the City,” “Six Feet Under,” Deadwood,” “Rome,” “Big Love,” “Bored to Death,” (pilot) and “Boardwalk Empire.” 

HBO also weighed in, writing in a statement, “Miguel Sapochnik has done amazing work on the first season of ‘House of the Dragon,’ establishing its signature look and feel. This series simply could not have come together the way it did without him. While we would have loved to have Miguel continue in the same role, we are thrilled to have his ongoing collaboration in this new creative capacity. Looking forward, we’ve had a decades-long relationship with Alan Taylor, and we are delighted to have him join Ryan and the rest of the talented team.”

On Friday, the network said that the series premiere on Aug. 21 was the largest debut in its history and has now been seen by more than 20 million viewers across linear, on-demand and HBO Max platforms. 

“House of the Dragon” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.