Today, the long-awaited spin-off of the series 'Game of Thrones' will premiere on HBO Max. In this article, we discuss what the franchise's offshoot is about and what loyal fans can expect.
Literary Source
When George Martin was preparing to become one of the contributors to an anthology that would include other masters of the fantasy genre like Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, Tad Williams, and others, he decided to tell a completely new story about the lands of Westeros. Thus, the writer abandoned the main characters, invented the hedge knight Dunk the Tall, who is not tied to any of the castles, and his loyal squire — a bold young man named Egg.
In addition, Martin moved all the action back about a hundred years and immersed fans in a world that preceded 'Game of Thrones.' The Targaryens are in power, the last dragon died half a century before the events now described in the prequel, and Dunk decides to participate in a tournament to earn food and try his luck at becoming famous and celebrated. On his way to Ashford, where the competition will take place, he meets Egg. A complicated relationship develops between the heroes, leading them to the most incredible adventures and unexpected discoveries.
The New Spin-off of 'Game of Thrones': What the Series 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Is About
As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that Egg is not just an ordinary boy who has crossed Dunk's path by fate. Egg is actually the fourth son of the king, that is, Prince Aegon Targaryen. However, this status does not prevent both heroes from building a strong friendship despite the arising difficulties. In the tales of Dunk and Egg, George Martin emphasizes not large-scale wars and political intrigues, but intimate stories that showcase the importance of duty, honor, and humanity. At least all the events of the first season will be shown from a single perspective — through Dunk's eyes. And given the hero's lowly origins, viewers can expect to dive into the lives of the lower classes.
Who Is Working on the Project
The main showrunner of 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' is Canadian writer Ira Parker, who sees himself in Dunk. Once, Parker moved to Los Angeles without a penny to his name but with the intention of building a career in the film industry. Now the writer can boast projects like 'The Last Ship,' 'Everything is Gonna Be Okay,' and 'Incredible' in his portfolio, as well as a script for one of the episodes of the first season of another branch of 'Game of Thrones' — 'House of the Dragon.' For 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,' Ira Parker wrote the pilot episode entirely and remained a co-writer for the other episodes.
The director's chair has been taken by Owen Harris, known for the series 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl,' 'Misfits,' and 'Black Mirror.' Sarah Adina Smith, who worked on the series 'Looking for Alaska' and 'Lessons in Chemistry,' as well as the upcoming adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's novel 'Little House on the Prairie' for Netflix, was responsible for the second part of the season.
What’s Next?
After the success of the first tale about Dunk and Egg, titled 'The Hedge Knight,' George Martin wrote 'The Sworn Sword' and 'The Mystery Knight.' In these stories, the main characters either have to reconcile two neighboring noble houses or suddenly find themselves embroiled in a conspiracy against the king himself. The creators of 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' decided to adapt all three tales — one work for each season. Moreover, Martin himself entertains the hopes of fans and producers with promises to release more continuations dedicated to the inseparable friends from the lands of Westeros.
It is clear that HBO has a huge interest in this story, including from a commercial perspective. Therefore, the series was renewed for a second season even before its premiere. Additionally, the platform is developing five or six more prequels to 'Game of Thrones.' It is also possible that the viewership of the original branch of the franchise will grow — surely after the spin-off, viewers will want to rewatch 'Game of Thrones' to finally grasp the complex intertwining of this amazing fantasy world.
