Unfortunate news has emerged for fans eager to return to Westeros as Warner Bros. Discovery has officially pushed back the release of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series.
Speaking during the company's recent upfronts, Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, confirmed that the show will now premiere in early 2026 instead of the originally planned late 2025 window.
The six-episode first season, which adapts George R.R. Martin’s novella The Hedge Knight, is now targeting a debut sometime between January and March 2026.
Set about 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series will follow the legendary journey of Ser Duncan the Tall—better known as Dunk—and his unlikely companion, the young Aegon V Targaryen, affectionately called Egg. Their tale of friendship, knighthood, and hidden lineage unfolds against the backdrop of a realm still reeling from Targaryen rule.
George R.R. Martin, who penned the original Dunk and Egg stories, has already expressed his support for the adaptation, adding to the mounting excitement as fans await a new chapter in the Thrones universe.
Back in January, on his blog, Martin wrote, "I’ve seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them. Dunk and Egg have always been favorites 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. It’s as faithful as adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how incredible reasonable I am on that particular subject)."
Martin also cautioned, "Viewers who are looking for action, and more action, and only action… well, this one may not satisfy you."
The cast of HBO’s upcoming fantasy series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms features a lineup of rising stars and seasoned talent stepping into the roles of legendary Westerosi figures.
Peter Claffey leads as the noble Ser Duncan the Tall, with Dexter Sol Ansell portraying the young and destined Prince Aegon Targaryen. Finn Bennett takes on the role of the fiery Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen, while Tanzyn Crawford plays Tanselle, a character pivotal to Dunk’s early journey. Bertie Carvel appears as Prince Baelor “Breakspear” Targaryen, Daniel Ings joins as the charismatic Ser Lyonel Baratheon—known as the Laughing Storm—and Sam Spruell rounds out the Targaryen lineage as Prince Maekar Targaryen.
Originally announced back in January 2021, the Game of Thrones prequel underwent an extended period of development before its cast was officially confirmed in April 2024. Filming on the six-part debut season kicked off in June 2024 and concluded in September of the same year.
Eager fans got their first glimpse of the series when HBO included early footage in its 2025 sizzle reel, offering a tantalizing preview of the world of Dunk and Egg brought to life for the small screen.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Official Synopsis: 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.