A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms release date speculation and latest news

Following a controversial second season for House of the Dragon, which provoked the ire of even Martin himself, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is being hyped as a return to form for the fantasy franchise.

Both the author and HBO executive Francesca Orsi have heaped praise on the two lead actors, with talk of a potential three-season run already brewing – but alas, we're still a way off from the initial premiere.

If you're eager for another trip to Westeros, read on for everything we know so far about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms release date speculation

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does not yet have a confirmed release date, but HBO has announced that it will be launching at some point in 2026.

Previously, the broadcaster suggested that we'd be seeing the second Game of Thrones spin-off in late 2025, but the show was delayed for unspecified reasons.

There's no reason to be alarmed, however, as both George RR Martin and HBO executive Francesca Orsi have gushed about the work-in-progress series, even hinting that a double-renewal could be on the cards.

She told Deadline in February: "You're going to be so impressed by Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell as Dunk and Egg... So much so that we're already planning on how we build this for three seasons in total.

"We're not picking it up officially [yet], but it's looking very good. We're looking at it as a holistic piece, seasons 2 and 3, because there's three novellas."

Her comments follow Martin's praise (via his blog, naturally), where the author wrote that he had "loved" what he'd seen so far, adding that stars Claffey and Ansell were "just incredible" as Dunk and Egg.

Filming commenced on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms back in June 2024 and wrapped in September of that year, with the shorter six-episode season and sparing visual effects contributing to a faster turnaround than House of the Dragon.

When A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is ready for release, it will most likely come to Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK, which is home to most HBO and Max content on our shores.

When is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms set? Game of Thrones connection explained

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set almost a century before the events of Game of Thrones, meaning it's unlikely that we'll be seeing any cameos from stars of the original series.

This also puts it considerably further up the timeline than hit prequel House of the Dragon, which unfolds approximately seven decades before the Tales of Dunk and Egg.

Nevertheless, one piece of connective tissue comes in the form of Aemon Targaryen (played by the late Peter Vaughan in various episodes in the first five seasons), who is the brother of Aegon V or 'Egg'.

He renounced his claim to the throne in order to become a maester and brother of the Night Watch, where he crossed paths with Jon Snow (Kit Harington). Alas, he did not know that the young warrior was actually his great-great nephew.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was previously used as the title of Game of Thrones season 8 episode 2, paying tribute to Martin's trilogy of novellas, which came out many years prior to its broadcast.

What is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms about?

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms chronicles the formative experiences of Ser Duncan 'Dunk' the Tall (future lord commander of the Kingsguard) and his squire Aegon V 'Egg' Targaryen (future king).

Their adventures take place during a tumultuous period for Westeros, when the land is still recovering from a schism in House Targaryen that led to a period of brutal conflict, from which King Daeron II Targaryen emerged victorious.

Peter Claffey (Wreck) and Dexter Sol Ansell (The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) take the lead roles of Dunk and Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, with Bertie Carvel (Dalgliesh) also appearing as King Daeron II's son and trusted hand, Baelor.

The story of Dunk and Egg was first told in a George RR Martin-penned novella titled The Hedge Knight, with the author calling A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms "as faithful [an] adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for".

He wrote on his blog: "Viewers who are looking for action, and more action, and only action… well, this one may not satisfy you.

"There's a huge fight scene here, as exciting as anyone could ask for, but there are no dragons this time around, no huge battles, no white walkers… this is a character piece, and its focus is on duty and honour, on chivalry and all it means."

In a gushing post to his blog, Martin also previously assured fans that he "loved" the adaptation, describing it as a "faithful" translation of the source material and hailing the cast as "just incredible".

The comments should come as reassurance following Martin's vocal disapproval of House of the Dragon season 2, which also provoked the ire of fans with a finale deemed anticlimactic by many.

Previously, HBO boss Casey Bloys had teased (via THR) that the show has a "lighter tone" than both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, which helps to make it a "very different" series.

Is there A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms trailer?

Kind of. While not exactly a full cinematic trailer, you can catch a few seconds of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in the sizzle reel below, which showcases upcoming shows for US streaming service Max.

However, keep in mind that the show is no longer launching this year as the compilation suggests – it has instead been pushed back to 2026. Watch here:

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is coming soon.

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