Hear ye, hear ye, for I have a proclamation to make – another new Game of Thrones spinoff is coming in the next year, and this is what we know so far about it.
Game of Thrones was a huge show, with an even bigger Game of Thrones cast, so it was only a matter of time before new shows following new stories within the A Song of Ice and Fire universe came along. So far, we have had one successful one – House of the Dragon, with its large Targaryen family tree, incredible dragons, and fights that will make you cry and sob. That show is currently airing its second season.
However, HOTD is only going to last so long, as it only covers one part of the 300+ year history of Westeros after Aegon Targaryen (the first) conquered all of it. Now, in this next spinoff, titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, we are going to dive a little deeper into the story of Dunk and Egg. But who are these people? And what can you expect from this spinoff? Here is what we know so far.
What Is The A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Premiere Date?
As of July 2024, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set to release at some point in 2025, according to The Hollywood Reporter. So, unfortunately, it will not be on any 2024 TV premiere schedule, but we can at least keep it in mind for next year, as it is expected to air then.
This isn’t that much of a surprise, as House of the Dragon Season 2 is still only halfway through its episodes right now. It would be pretty surprising to put on another GOT spinoff right after an already successful one. Besides, we’re still enjoying the internet hating Criston Cole with a passion, so I don’t mind having to wait another year for a new story in Westeros.
The article above also confirmed that this season—which, apparently, is marketed as the first season—will only be six episodes, making it a “tighter opener” rather than the usual ten-episode first season runs of both GOT and HOTD.
The A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Cast
The cast for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is filled out already. We have the entire list here for you that comes straight from HBO:
- Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall
- Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg
- Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen
- Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen
- Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle
- Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon
- Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen
So far, these are the people who we will be following in the upcoming spinoff series. Keep in mind that this list is likely going to keep growing. The House of the Dragon cast itself felt huge in the first season, and so did the one for its parent show, so I would not be surprised if we kept getting announcements not that long from now about more people signing on.
What A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Is About
I’m sure that if you’re reading this and you have no idea what The Hedge Knight is, you are completely clueless as to what this series could be—aside from the title and the fact that knights will be involved. Well, I am here to educate you.
According to HBO, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on the George R.R. Martin novella, The Hedge Knight, which is only about 160 pages long. The series takes place only a century before the events of GOT, when the Targaryens are still the rulers of Westeros.
In this series, there are no dragons, but there are the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall, a knight, and his lovable squire, Egg, as mentioned above. The show will follow their story as they travel across Westeros, taking on “powerful foes” and experiencing “dangerous exploits.”
For a GOT show to not focus entirely on political warfare or backstabbing might be a shock to some viewers. Still, honestly, after two shows of nonstop fighting, I think a little show about a knight and his squire going from place to place in Westeros is precisely what we need.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Will Have A “Different Tone” Than Game Of Thrones
While this might be obvious, George R.R. Martin confirmed that this series is going to be very different from Game of Thrones. Martin posted about it on his personal blog in May 2024, saying that it will have a “different tone” but this is still the world of GOT, so no one is ever really “safe:”
The Hedge Knight will be a lot shorter than Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, with a much different tone…but it’s still Westeros, so no one is truly safe.
Keep in mind this was before the title change to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, so he is talking about the same show!
Owen Harris And Sarah Adina Smith Will Direct The Six Episodes
While we know there will be six episodes of the series, HBO also confirmed that they will be directed by two different directors—Owen Harris will direct three, and Sarah Adina Smith will direct the other three.
Harris has directed several shows, including one of the best shows to binge-watch on Netflix, Black Mirror, and one of its Emmy Award-winning episodes, “San Junipero.” Sarah Adina Smith is responsible for several other shows, like Looking for Alaska, Lessons in Chemistry, and more.
Production Began In June 2024
The last thing we know from HBO is that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is officially in production. We had a feeling it was going to happen soon, considering in that blog post from Martin, he shared a Reddit video of Dexter Sol Ansell getting his head shaved off for filming in May 2024:
Dexter Sol Ansell (Egg) getting his head shaved ahead of Dunk and Egg filming! from r/HouseOfTheDragon
We don't know how long filming is supposed to take, but we at least know that it is in production and should be on track for that 2025 release.
What are you the most excited for when it comes to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms? I know that I’ll be sitting on my couch, ready to watch when this comes on my screen – if not just to break my own heart with beloved character deaths all over again.
