HBO's next 'Game of Thrones' prequel: Cast, premiere date unveiled
With the epic dragon battles of House of the Dragon Season 2 now history, HBO is turning its gaze to the future of Westeros. Production on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms kicked off this summer, promising a new chapter in the beloved fantasy world. Based on George RR Martin's novella The Hedge Knight—which is the first in his Tales of Dunk and Egg trilogy—here's everything about the new Game of Thrones spin-off series coming your way!
Prequel set a century before the original 'GoT'
The prequel is set 100 years prior to the events of Game of Thrones, during the Targaryen reign over the Iron Throne. The story revolves around "a young, naive but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg," who encounter "great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits." The character Egg is revealed to be King Aegon Targaryen the Fifth in his youth, reportedly.
Martin returns as writer, executive producer
Martin is actively involved in the Song of Ice and Fire prequel series as a writer and executive producer. Last year, in a blog post, the acclaimed author expressed his hopes for the success of this season to lead to adaptations of the next two novellas in his Tales of Dunk and Egg series which includes The Sworn Sword (2003) and The Mystery Knight (2010). He also revealed plans to write more Dunk & Egg novellas in the future.
Cast and directors announced for the prequel
The cast features rugby-pro-turned-actor Peter Claffey as Dunk and nine-year-old Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg. Other cast members include Finn Bennett, Bertie Carvel, Tanzyn Crawford, Daniel Ings, and Sam Spruell. The six-episode season will be directed by Owen Harris and Sarah Adina Smith, with each directing three episodes. Ira Parker co-wrote the show with Martin and both serve as executive producers alongside Harris, Ryan Condal, Vince Gerardis, and Sarah Bradshaw.
