A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will break a major Game of Thrones tradition – creator explains why

But speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Parker revealed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms won’t feature the grand title sequence that was present in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragons.

Explaining how this decision was made in order to mirror the “to-the-point” attitude of the main character Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), known as “Dunk”, Parker said: “All decisions came down to Dunk, trying to channel the type of person he is into every aspect of this show, even the title sequence."

He continued: “The title sequences on the original [Game of Thrones] and House of Dragon are big and epic and incredible. Ramin Djawadi’s score is orchestral and large and beautiful. That's not really Dunk’s MO. He’s plain and he’s simple and he’s to-the-point. He doesn't have a lot of flash to him.”

Parker went on to say that not including the original Game of Thrones title sequence “was probably the most stressful decision I made on this," adding: "It was not entered into lightly, but it serves our show.”

Set approximately 90 to 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will follow Dunk and his resourceful squire “Egg”, who is actually the young Prince Aegon Targaryen, as they travel across the land during a period of great change.

A synopsis for the series reads: "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."

It 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."

Back in January, author Martin said the spin-off show is “as faithful an adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for".

"I’ve seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them," he wrote in a blog post. "Dunk and Egg have always been favourites of mine, and the actors we found to portray them are just incredible. The rest of the cast are terrific as well. Wait until you guys meet the Laughing Storm and Tanselle Too-Tall.

He continued: "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is an adaptation of The Hedge Knight, the first of the novellas I wrote about them. It’s as faithful as adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how incredibly reasonable I am on that particular subject)."

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be released in January on HBO. House of the Dragon seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Sky and NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.

If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.