‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ takes place 100 years before ‘Game of Thrones’

The latest Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is finally here.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will adapt the first of the series, The Hedge Knight, into six episodes. The first is set to premiere on Jan. 18.

Taking place in between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, Tales of Dunk and Egg concerns the “small folk who suffer at the hands of the game of thrones as it’s played by the nobles,” executive producer Ryan Condal told Entertainment Weekly in May 2024.

The first look at the Game of Thrones spinoff was shown in an HBO Max coming soon reel in August 2024. The short promo features Peter Claffey introducing himself as Ser Duncan the Tall, with snippets of sword fighting and a familiar-looking Game of Thrones landscape.

Here’s everything to know about the latest Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

What is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms about?

Based on the novella by Martin, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place a century before the events of Game of Thrones and centers on “a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg,” per the official HBO description.

The longline continues, “Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.”

What are the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas about?

Tales of Dunk and Egg is a series of fantasy novellas by Martin set in the same world as his A Song of Ice and Fire novels, which inspired the Game of Thrones series.

In Martin’s novella The Hedge Knight, the story begins when Dunk, a squire, takes the possessions of a deceased knight and heads to Ashford to compete in a tournament as “Ser Duncan the Tall.”

Accompanied by a young boy named “Egg,” who becomes his squire, Dunk also encounters a love interest, Tanselle. When Prince Aerion Targaryen attacks Tanselle, Dunk intervenes, sparking a series of misadventures.

Martin is heavily involved in the project as a writer and executive producer. The Hedge Knight is 164 pages, which, compared to Martin’s other novels that range between 700 to 1,000 pages, is a relatively short read.

Is there a trailer for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

The final trailer for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was released in December 2025, introducing fans to Dunk (Peter Claffey), a new knight who is struggling a bit with his new responsibilities.

He’s then approached by a child named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) asking to be his squire. Soon enough, Dunk finds himself in the middle of multiple jousting bouts and a feud with Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen (Finn Bennett).

Who is in the cast of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

The cast of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will consist of:

• Peter Claffey as Dunk
• Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg
• Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen, second son of Prince Maekar Targaryen and Lady Dyanna Dayne, nephew of Baelor Targaryen and major source of conflict for Dunk
• Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, heir to Storm’s End during the reign of Daeron II
• Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen, father of Aerion
• Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, brother of Maekar and firstborn son and heir of King Daeron II Targaryen
• Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, a young puppeteer and love interest of Dunk
• Edward Ashley as Ser Steffon Fossoway, a knight
• Henry Ashton as Daeron Targaryen, a prince of the Targaryen dynasty
• Youssef Kerkour as Steely Pate, a blacksmith
• Daniel Monks as Ser Manfred Dondarrion, a knight
• Shaun Thomas as Raymun Fossoway, cousin and squire of Steffon
• Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Plummer, steward of Ashford
• Danny Webb as Ser Arlan of Pennytree, the knight that Dunk steals the possessions of after his death

Who is directing A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

Sarah Adina Smith, known for her work on Lessons in Chemistry and Hanna, helms three of the six episodes as director. Owen Harris, who has worked on the acclaimed dystopian Netflix series Black Mirror, also directs three episodes and executive produces the series, per HBO.

The series has Martin as a writer and executive producer alongside other franchise veterans, such as Condal, Ira Parker, Vince Gerardis and My Lady Jane producer Sarah Bradshaw.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in May 2024, Condal said that he pitched the idea to adapt Dunk and Egg years before he went on to co-create House of the Dragon with Martin.

“When HBO was looking to do spinoffs for the original series — this is now like eight years ago — word got around that I was a bit of a fan,” he said. “They had me in and I passionately pitched them on doing Dunk and Egg for this reason.”

While the network wanted something “much bigger and crazier and more expensive,” early development of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms began in 2021, per Variety.

“I think fans are going to be rewarded with another great series in the greater A Song of Ice and Fire,” Condal told Entertainment Weekly.

When will A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms be released?

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres on Jan. 18 on HBO Max.

Where can I watch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be released on HBO and HBO Max in January 2026.

In the meantime, fans can catch up on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, which are also available to watch on the streamer.