Key Takeaways
- HBO has announced "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight" as the second "Game of Thrones" prequel series based on George R.R. Martin's "Tales of Dunk and Egg" novellas.
- The series will be set a century before the events of "Game of Thrones" and will feature Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg, on a series of adventures.
- HBO has been expanding the franchise since the end of "Game of Thrones" in 2019 and has another prequel series focusing on Aegon the Conquerer reportedly in development.
- George R.R. Martin will write "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" alongside Ira Parker, and "House of the Dragon" showrunner Ryan Conal and Vince Gerardis will serve as executive producers.
- "House of the Dragon" drew record viewership with 9.99 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max, drawing the largest audience in the pay TV channel's history.
HBO has officially announced “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight” as the second “Game of Thrones” prequel series, based on George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” novellas. The news was revealed during Warner Bros.
Discovery’s press conference, introducing their newly combined HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming service, now simply called Max.
A Lighter Spinoff Set a Century Before “Game of Thrones”
The series will be set a century before the events of “Game of Thrones,” featuring two unlikely heroes, Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg.
In an era where the Targaryen line still rules the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet faded, the pair embark on a series of adventures, encountering great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits.
Martin introduced the characters of Duncan and Egg in his novella series “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” which began publication in 1998 and currently includes three installments.
The novellas offer a lighter and more lighthearted take on the world of Westeros.
Expanding the World of Westeros
Since the end of “Game of Thrones” in 2019, HBO has been working on expanding the franchise.
The first prequel series, “House of the Dragon,” premiered in August 2022, focusing on the civil war between the ruling House Targaryen.
Season 2 of the show is currently in production. Additionally, another prequel is reportedly in development, focusing on Aegon the Conquerer, the original Targaryen king, and his rise to power in Westeros.
George R.R. Martin will write “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” alongside Ira Parker, who is also a writer on “House of the Dragon.”
Martin, Parker, “House of the Dragon” showrunner Ryan Conal, and Vince Gerardis will serve as executive producers. Casting for the series has yet to be announced.
HBO has officially announced “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight” as the second “Game of Thrones” prequel series, based on George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” novellas. The news was revealed during Warner Bros.
More Westeros-Based Projects in Discussion
A separate prequel project, revolving around Aegon I Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros, is also being actively discussed at HBO.
Though still in its early stages, the project may potentially include a feature film component, leading into the series.
The story would depict Aegon’s conquest alongside his sister-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, and the founding of the Targaryen Dynasty, which took place approximately 300 years before the events of “Game of Thrones.” HBO has not yet commented on this potential prequel.
“House of the Dragon” Record Viewership
“House of the Dragon” premiered with 9.99 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max, drawing the largest audience in the pay TV channel’s history.
The show’s premiere outperformed the “Game of Thrones” series premiere, which brought in 4.2 million viewers in 2011.
Because of this record-breaking success, the show received a Season 2 renewal less than a week after its series premiere on HBO.
