"Game of Thrones" spin-off: The first trailer shows the heart of Westeros
HBO shows a new side of Westeros in the new "Game of Thrones" spin-off. One in which knights not only fight, but also believe in honour, friendship and humanity. These are the stories of Dunk and Egg.
George R. R. Martin has taken on another new side quest. And who would have thought it: it has nothing to do with finally finishing his main quest: «Finish writing The Winds of Winter». Instead, the «A Song of Ice and Fire» author is returning to Westeros with another «Game of Thrones» spin-off. HBO has released the first trailer for «A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms»:
This time it's not about dragons, power games or massacres, but about knights, honour and, well, probably a beheading or two. But first things first.
A little knight, a big dream
The new series is based on Martin's short story series «A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms», which takes place around 100 years before «Game of Thrones» and therefore around 80 years after «House of the Dragon». It is about Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk), a young, idealistic knight without title or fortune, who travels the land as a hedge knight - a knight without a liege lord.
At his side: Egg, his cheeky squire, who later turns out to be none other than Aegon V Targaryen, a future king and great-grandfather of Daenerys. That's not a spoiler, by the way, don't worry. In the books, it's clear after just a few pages. The fun is not in who Egg is, but in how a cheeky boy can eventually become a king - and what role a certain Aemon Targaryen might have played in this.
So it all sounds very epic, and it is, but in a pleasantly down-to-earth and hopeful way: instead of intrigue and regicide, it's about knightly honour, friendship, class differences and simply remaining a good person in a world full of perfidy and betrayal. This is precisely why many fans like the «A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms» stories even more than «A Song of Ice and Fire».
The stories themselves were published as three novellas between 1998 and 2010: «The Hedge Knight», «The Sworn Sword» and «The Mystery Knight». Taken together, they total around 400 pages - a manageable chunk by George R. R. Martin standards. The series is now adapting the first of these stories and aims to strike the same slightly melancholy yet hopeful tone.
Westeros comes to life again
The people behind the HBO production are Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin himself, with the latter being much more involved this time than in the last seasons of «Game of Thrones» or most recently in the second season of «House of the Dragon». The first season of the new spin-off will comprise six episodes, directed by Owen Harris («Black Mirror: San Junipero») and Sarah Adina Smith («Hanna»). Filming took place in Northern Ireland, where the original series was based.
Source: HBO / Warner Bros.
And yes, the trailer shows exactly what you'd hope for: medieval tournaments, a dash of melancholy, a bit of swordplay and the feeling that Westeros is coming back to life. Just a little smaller and more human than usual. The launch is planned for 18 January 2026, probably on Sky Show in this country.
In the meantime, we can only hope that Martin doesn't start another sidequest before he finally finishes writing the goddamn books.
Or as Dunk would probably say: «A knight can dream.»
I write about technology as if it were cinema, and about films as if they were real life. Between bits and blockbusters, I’m after stories that move people, not just generate clicks. And yes – sometimes I listen to film scores louder than I probably should.
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