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, and of course, spinoffs came after that. So far, we have had one successful one – House of the Dragon, with its large Targaryen family tree, incredible dragons, and more.
However, HOTD is only going to last so long, with two complete seasons, 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 what is this story? This is what we know.
What Is The A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Premiere Date?
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set to release at some point in 2025, according to The Hollywood Reporter in May 2024, which means it will come out as part of the 2025 TV premiere schedule.
The article above from The Hollywood Reporter 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
And then, in August 2024, Variety confirmed several other additions to the cast. These are:
- Edward Ashley as Ser Steffon Fossoway
- Henry Ashton as Daeron Targaryen
- Youssef Kerkour as Steely Pate
- Daniel Monks as Ser Manfred Dondarrion
- Shaun Thomas as Raymun Fossoway
- Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Plummer
- Danny Webb as Ser Arlan of Pennytree
As Variety commented on, the Daeron Targaryen that will be in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be a different one from the character we have heard about in Season 2 of House of the Dragon, just to clarify.
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 as the show comes closer, but for now, this is who we can expect to see!
In fact, George R.R. Martin had commented on the cast, mainly Claffey and Ansel regarding their portrayal of Duncan and Egg, saying it’s been like they “walked out of the pages” of the book for the show in a statement he released to The Hollywood Reporter in August 2024:
I visited the set in Northern Ireland in July and loved what I saw. Great cast. [The lead characters] Dunk and Egg look as if they walked out of the pages of my book. My readers are going to love them. I certainly do. [Showrunner Ira Parker] is doing a great job.
I mean, this just makes me more excited.
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.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Is Based On the Novella, The Hedge Knight
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 Directed 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 Has Ended
The last thing we know is that production for the show has officially ended. In the blog post from Martin, he shared a Reddit video of Dexter Sol Ansell getting his head shaved off for filming in May 2024:
However, Ansell himself shared on Instagram in August 2024 that they had officially wrapped on the show, saying that filming was over with a “bye bye, Belfast:”
Now this just makes me excited 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.
