George R.R. Martin was 'out of the loop' of 'Game of Thrones' season 8 - Insider

Dan and David refers to the two showrunners who helmed "Game of Thrones" — David Benioff and Dan "D.B." Weiss.

This revelation came in the context of a feature about "House of the Dragon," the first "Game of Thrones" prequel series that will premiere on HBO later this month.

The fifth season was around when "Game of Thrones" began taking significant departures from Martin's books, including consolidations of characters or storylines.

By the time the series finale was about to air, fans were surprised to learn that neither Martin nor the "Game of Thrones" showrunners knew for sure how the other would wrap up the massive story.

Following the series finale in May 2019, more news came out about certain preferences and desires Martin had for the show, including the revelation that the author reportedly flew to New York to "beg" an HBO executive to make "Game of Thrones" 10 seasons long

This complex relationship is unlikely to be replicated with "House of the Dragon" because this time around Martin has already finished the story upon which the series is based