Get ready to meet Dunk and Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
Thanks to an announcement to its investors, Warner Bros. Discovery have revealed that they’ve greenlit a second Game of Thrones prequel. The show will be coming to Max – the new name for the merged HBO and Discovery+ streaming service.
The show is be based on George R.R. Martin’s series of fantasy novellas following the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (“Dunk) and his squire, the young Aegon V Targaryen (“Egg”). While it’s officially titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, you can bet everyone’s going to call it “Dunk and Egg”.
The story will follow Dunk and Egg’s exploits 90 years prior to the events of A Song of Ice and Fire. Lighter in tone, it should make a change from all the bloody, political shenanigans of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
Dunk and Egg have enjoyed three adventures in print, The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword and The Mystery Knight, with all three being later republished in a combined volume. The show has been in gestation for a while – we reported on it back in January 2021.
Here’s the official premise for the show:
“A century before the events of ‘Game of Thrones,’ two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. 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.”
Martin is writing and executive producing, alongside Ira Parker, who was a co-executive producer on Season 1 of House of the Dragon. Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon’s Ryan Condal and Vince Gerardis also executive produce.
House of the Dragon Season 2
Meanwhile, its confirmed that production has begun on the second season of House of the Dragon.
The show, based on George RR Martin’s Fire & Blood novella, details the events of the Targaryen civil war. Season 1 boasted viewing numbers of 29 million per episode, according to HBO.
Filming takes place at Leavesden Studios in the UK, and the returning roster of cast is confirmed. It includes Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. Plus, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham.
As we reported recently, season 2 has a reduced episode count – but the series’ future has apparently been mapped out.
Co-Creator/Showrunner/Executive Producer Ryan Condal said:
“House of the Dragon has returned. We are thrilled to be shooting again with members of our original family as well as new talents on both sides of the camera. All your favourite characters will soon be conspiring at the council tables, marching with their armies, and riding their dragons into battle. We can’t wait to share what we have in store.”
Further GOT prequels or spinoffs?
As yet unconfirmed, but reported by Variety last week, is another GoT prequel series.
While apparently in the early stages, it would tell the story of Ageon I’s conquest of Westeros. Expect dragons and incest as Aegon and his sister-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, subjugate six out of seven realms, forge the Iron Throne and found the Targaryen dynasty. Interestingly, there’s a suggestion that this story could involve both a feature film and a television series.
Then of course, there’s the potential Jon Snow spinoff too – not that we’ve heard much about that of late. Nor of the The Sea Snake and Ten Thousand Ships projects too.
We’ll keep you posted on all the Game of Thrones prequels.