“Not What People Expect In A Fantasy Story”: After GRRM’s Recent Comments, I’m Convinced Game Of Thrones’ Next Spinoff Is Exactly What The Franchise Needs

HBO’s next Game of Thrones spinoff is going to be something of a shake-up for the fantasy franchise, and that should mostly be to its benefit. So far, the network has taken a relatively cautious approach to its expansion, at least in contrast to many other major franchises, with just one spinoff series having made it to air so far. They’re being patient with it, which makes sense after the backlash to Game of Thrones‘ ending, and is hopefully the right approach.

That caution also extends to the kinds of spinoffs they’ve made so far: that is, sticking close to Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon, while telling its own story with the Dance of the Dragons, is very much in-keeping with what worked previously. It’s ambitious in its own right thanks to its scope, but hardly a surprising choice nor success. Things will be different with the next Game of Thrones spinoff, however, which is coming up later in 2025.

Game Of Thrones’ Next Spinoff Being Very Different Is A Good Thing

The Franchise Needs To Branch Out

HBO’s formula for Game of Thrones works, and the results can be spectacular, but there’s much more to Martin’s world than these epic, action-packed, dragon-filled stories about Great Houses and the Iron Throne. That’s exactly the purpose The Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas serve, and it’ll be true of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘ story too. The show follows Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight, and his squire, Egg, on their journeys around Westeros. Season 1, which adapts the first novella, is set during the tourney at Ashford, where Dunk has an unfortunate run-in with a Targaryen prince.

The Dunk and Egg stories are not only much lighter in tone, shorter in length, and less epic in scale, but they also put their focus elsewhere: instead of characters from noble houses, the main hero is a hedge knight who comes from nothing. While there’s more to his newfound companion, Egg, than meets the eye, he is still just a child, and it creates a humorous Lone Wolf and Cub-esque dynamic. As Martin himself said about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms [via Collider]:

“I’ve seen Dunk and Egg, the first season, and it’s great, and now they’re working on the second season. Those are two characters were really special to me, and they’re unusual, those characters. They’re not what most people would expect in a fantasy story. It’s a little softer. It’s a little more humorous. I hope the audience will be open to that kind of change.”

Martin’s novellas are a wonderful accompaniment to A Song of Ice and Fire, in part because they’re different. The same should be true of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It can highlight that there’s much more to this world beyond stories and characters similar to those in Game of Thrones; when you get down to the hedge knights and the smallfolk, while they may not be wealthy, they’re every bit as rich.

Any major franchise must diversify the types of stories it tells – we’ve seen it with juggernauts like the MCU and Star Wars – and Thrones should be no exception. My major concern is whether as many people will tune in to a show that doesn’t have that epic feel or the same iconography, as it could be seen as less important or worthy of viewing time, and I really hope that’s not the case. But in terms of quality, there’s no denying this is an exciting prospect.

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Will Benefit House Targaryen

It Will Add Even More To Their History & Lore

Although it’s a different kind of story, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does have Targaryens – lots of them, in fact. Dunk’s interactions with the family are a core part of the first book and, thus, the first season, and it’ll be a chance to highlight the many different sides to the family. There will be some who are detestable and vicious, not dissimilar to, say, Viserys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, but also those who are truly decent and just.

It can also add more context, examples, and weight to things like dragon dreams, which do play a part in this story. Likewise, House Targaryen’s history unfolds through the pages of Dunk and Egg, and should be the same in the TV show. Key events such as the Blackfyre Rebellion hang over the narrative, and it means the Game of Thrones franchise can further flesh these out on screen even without showing them. It can have a very different core story, and yet still expand the lore and history of the world in fascinating ways, which makes this a win-win.