Alas, 2024 is coming to an end, and 2025 is about to begin with another Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
For keen and astute readers, this particular prequel is an exciting prospect.
Based on what we know about the books, Max’s latest entry (Max is set to enter the year 2025) should easily develop into a multi-series story.
There are three books in the Dunk and Egg series (the nicknames of the two main characters in the story), set hundreds of years before the events of Game of Thrones.
In fact, Dunk (short for Duncan) interacts with one of the characters that Game of Thrones viewers will be familiar with.
If the producers are willing to put the same effort into A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms that made House of the Dragon so popular, then we’re in for a real treat.
What is Knight of the Seven Kingdoms about?
Often, a show’s title is loosely related to the story and plot elements within it.
Sometimes it’s an artistic interpretation. Sometimes it makes no sense and we’re left scratching our heads.
In this case, “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is an adjective describing Dunk – Ser Duncan the Tall. The Seven Kingdoms section follows his adventures throughout Westeros.
There’s no trailer yet, and not enough information to work out the overall story and plot, so the only option is to turn to the three books for guidance.
The first in the series is a novella called “The Hedge Knight.” Dunk is a squire who has inherited the armor and weapons of Ser Arlan, a knight who recently died en route to the tournament.
On his way to the same game, Dunk met his own squire, Egg. While the game is the destination, the catalyzing event is Dunk’s attack on Prince Aerion in defense of another.
In any good show or movie, someone or something kicks the snowball down the hill.
Dunk spends the rest of the book preparing and defending himself in the Trial of the Seven, and Egg ends up becoming more or less his permanent squire.
It’s a simple format that gives the showrunners plenty of leverage to set dialogue, action, and character relationships in a familiar Westeros setting.
It has yet to be determined how strictly “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” will adhere to the original work.
Considering the relative popularity of the series, we’re hoping Max makes something that respects the source material. We all know what happens when TV adaptations stray too far from the norm.
Has the cast of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” been confirmed?
Barring one or two surprises in the future, most of the show’s cast is already in place. There are some interesting options and we have plenty of time to think about them and wait until 2025.
- Peter Claffey – Dunk (Ser Duncan the Tall)
- Sam Spruill as Prince Maekar Targaryen
- Bertie Cavill as Prince Baelor Targaryen
- Daniel Ingalls as Ser Lionel Baratheon
- Dexter Thor Ansel – Egg (Prince Aegon Targaryen)
- Finn Bennett as Prince Aerion Targaryen
- Dancing Crawford – Tansell
- Edward Ashley as Sir Stephen Fossoway
- Ross Anderson as Sir Humphrey Harding
- Danny Webber as Sir Alan of Pennytree
- Steve Wall as Lord Leo Tyrell
- Henry Ashton – Daeron Targaryen
- Daniel Monks as Ser Manfred Dondarrion
- Tom Vaughan Lawler as Plummer
- Yusuf Kokul – Steely Pate
Dunk and Egg are, of course, the main characters in the Dunk and Egg novels, but several members of the Targaryen family will play minor and major roles.
Others on the list are guest actors who will come and go throughout the season.
When will Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premiere?
We’re in for a long wait, or at least that’s what it feels like. An exact release date for the first season has not yet been confirmed, assuming there will be more than one season.
The only thing we know is that it will premiere sometime in late 2025.
This isn’t exactly the best news in the world. But, as the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait.” Hopefully “late” 2025 is more like an early fall release date. You never know!
Is there a trailer?
Not per se. Max did release their trailer collection, which includes most of their big upcoming shows in fall 2024 and 2025.
At least, it contains what we know so far and what HBO/Max is willing to show us.
There is a brief clip in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”, from 1 minute 10 seconds to 1 minute 15 seconds.
The statement about “Max heading into 2025” is correct.
There’s also some exciting footage from some highly anticipated shows coming soon, including another season of The Last of Us and It: Welcome to Derry.
How many episodes have you ordered?
In previous articles, we covered the changes taking place in the world of small screens that are starting to bear fruit.
Unfortunately, it is a less popular fruit. Knight of the Seven Kingdoms only has six episodes.
To a lot of people, yourself included, six episodes seems pretty lame.
Of course, I grew up in the days of 20+ episode regular shows. Not everyone agrees, and if so, this message is good news.
Where can I watch Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
maximum. Or, if you prefer, you can choose HBO. Maybe HBO/Max? Or whatever HBO, uh, Max is doing today.
Back in March 2021, HBO (as it was then known) renewed its original deal with writer and producer George RR Martin.
The new HBO deal costs eight figures. Max’s owner, WarnerMedia, was already producing House of the Dragon and had multiple A Song of Ice and Fire projects in the works.
Many of these titles suffered tragic deaths, but “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” survived.
Unfortunately, all the money, deals, and upcoming work will give Martin every reason to avoid finishing The Winds of Winter.
Maybe we’ll never know what really happened to Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen in A Song of Ice and Fire.
You know, the kid who was the nexus to everything, did nothing in season eight, and disappeared somewhere north of the wall. The other suddenly went mad and died tragically.
Who is behind everything?
The show’s creators are Ella Parker and Martin Parker. The former was involved to some extent on House of the Dragon, and both were responsible for writing A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Ella Parker only wrote one episode of House of the Dragons Season 1, so it remains to be seen how her work will translate to the screen in this latest installment.
Sarah Bradshaw, Owen Harris, Vince Gerardis, Ryan Condal, Isla Parker and George R.R. Martin serve as executive producers.
What is the source material for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
The upcoming Max series is often called The Dunk and Egg Story and is based on the three books in the series:
“Hedge Knight”, “Sworn Sword” and “Mysterious Knight”.
The first book was released in 1998 and the last book in 2010.
Martin has previously stated that he hopes to continue the series, assuming the first season does well enough to warrant coverage of The Sword of Oath and The Mysterious Knight in subsequent seasons.
“Hedge Knight” will be much shorter than “Game of Thrones” or “House of the Dragon,” and the tone will be much different. However, this is still Westeros, which means “no one is truly safe.” If A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does well, The Oath of the Sword and The Mysterious Knight will not be far behind. By then, I hope to have finished more of the Dunk and Egg stories.
——George R.R. Martin
That’s everything we know about Max’s upcoming Knight of the Seven Kingdoms series.
Is there anything else you’d like to see besides the release date for The Winds of Winter?
Leave a comment below!
