George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones franchise has dominated global pop culture for more than a decade. Now, another project from the world of Westeros is coming soon called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. A prequel to the original tale, it will handle one criticism that both the original series and House of the Dragon have been plagued by.
Both the original and its prequel show focused largely on royal houses, dynastic politics, and epic battles among elites, but the perspective of ordinary people, commonfolk, smallfolk, and everyday heroes was often underexplored amid elite power struggles. But A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is going to fix this, as George R.R. Martin remarked to USA Today
One of the things that one of the (critics) said was, ‘Here it is, another fantasy, and we get to hear more about kings and lords, and lords and kings. Nobody ever writes about the common people’ – the smallfolk, as I call them. And that resonated with me. Believe it or not, occasionally, we do listen to some of the critics, if they know what they’re talking about.
Ira Parker, the showrunner and co-creator of the show, further remarked that the goal was to intentionally make the prequel feel simpler and unpolished, a trait that will be starkly visible amongst the characters as well.
What Is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms About?
George R.R. Martin’s newest series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is a Game of Thrones prequel series adapted from the beloved Dunk and Egg novellas, a set of stories within George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire universe.
These novellas follow the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk), a wandering hedge knight, and his diminutive young squire, Aegon V Targaryen (Egg). It is set approximately 100 years before the events of the original show and about 72 years after the events of House of the Dragon.
The series unfolds in Westeros, which is still ruled by the Targaryen dynasty. However, there will be no fire and blood, given that the show is set in a time when all the dragons in the place are dead.
So, rather than the high political maneuvering of earlier series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms emphasizes personal stories, quests, and individual adventure as Dunk and Egg navigate tournaments, rivalries, and the many social strata of Westeros.
Another sharp contrast is that the show will be presented through the eyes of a single character, Dunk, which is unlike the previous series, where multiple perspectives were presented.
When Will A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Premiere?
The prequel series officially premieres on HBO Max on January 18, 2026. However, no other details have been confirmed, from its release timings to its release pattern. But we expect it will follow the same release pattern as the other shows, with new episodes dropping every week.
The first season consists of six episodes, each adapting parts of the source novellas, beginning with The Hedge Knight. Martin already praised the show, writing on his blog that he has watched all six episodes and that all of them are as faithful as possible.
The show stars Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall, Dexter Sol Ansell as his young squire, Egg, as well as Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, Danny Webb as Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen, and more.
Ahead of the show’s release, the second season has already been confirmed. Season 2 has begun production in Belfast, Ireland, and is eyeing a 2027 release date (via Variety).
What are your thoughts about the upcoming show? Let us know in the comments below.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 will premiere on January 18, 2026.
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