George R.R. Martin Comments On "Rivalry" With LOTR: "It's Not A Death Match"

Author George R.R. Martin has once again commented on the so-called "rivalry" between Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings. This has been a much-discussed topic for years, given the size and stature of both epic fantasy stories, and it's come to light again now that the next Game of Thrones show, House of the Dragon, is due to launch soon on August 21. Not only that, but Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power arrives just 12 days later on September 2.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Martin said there is no rivalry. He wishes The Rings of Power all the best. "We're not even on the same night!" he said. "It's not a death match or anything. I wish them success. I hope they wish for our success. We don't have to be bracketed together."

In an interview with The Independent, Martin said he can relate to the feeling of competitiveness, but he hopes both shows will help elevate fantasy in general. That said, Martin obviously is biased toward Game of Thrones, so he hopes House of the Dragon wins more Emmys. Writing on his Not A Blog, Martin said he was annoyed by how his comments were misconstrued by some websites.

"Somehow three-quarters of the clickbait sites out there, ignoring the entire thrust of my comments, twisted my words on their head into headlines about how much I want to beat the Tolkien show," he said. "Sigh."

Martin said he has a competitive nature within him, but that feeling lives alongside his hopes and desires for as many fantasy shows to succeed at the same time to help elevate the genre.

"I expect I will be watching Rings of Power when it premieres. I want it to be great. I want it to run for many years, to win Emmys and Golden Globes," he said. "And I want the same for House of the Dragon. Regardless of awards, I want both shows to find an appreciative audience, and give them great television. Great fantasy. The more fantasy hits we have, the more great fantasy we are likely to get."