Where A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Takes Place On The Game Of Thrones Timeline

Welcome to Westeros like you've never seen it before. The masterclass of world-building first introduced to audiences in HBO's "Game of Thrones" (and further explored in the prequel series "House of the Dragon") is set for another major piece of expansion, this time in the form of "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." Where the previous shows focused on royal lineages and dragons and fearsome Targaryens hoping to usurp the Iron Throne, this particular "Game of Thrones" spin-off story set to debut in 2026 couldn't be more different: a modest travelogue focusing on two of the unlikeliest heroes to ever appear in the franchise.

Fans would be forgiven for being somewhat less familiar with this material than the previous shows, considering its much more humble origins. Fantasy author and professional procrastinator George R.R. Martin initially published the first short story (titled "The Hedge Knight") that would form the foundation for his "Dunk and Egg" novellas back in 1998. It was meant to be a standalone adventure set in the same universe as his ongoing "A Song of Ice and Fire" books (which, yes, Martin has yet to complete).

But unlike "House of the Dragon," which winds the clock back 200 years before the events of the "Game of Thrones" TV show, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" takes place much closer in the timeline, as showrunner/co-creator Ira Parker has now discussed with Entertainment Weekly. Roughly 50 years after the last of the Targaryen dragons die (and, with it, the last vestiges of Targaryen supremacy) and less than a century before the first episode of "Game of Thrones," a hulking hedge knight named Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall (played by Peter Claffey) has a chance meeting with a scrawny young squire named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). What comes next is history — literally!

Just how different of an experience can "Game of Thrones" and "House of the Dragon" fans expect? Well, you'll notice right from the opening moments of each and every episode. The EW report confirms that "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" will omit the usual opening credits animation that both of the previous HBO shows used to ease viewers into Westeros. Instead, this will drop us straight into the action with nothing but a title card. As Ira Parker explains, the show's creative team took direct inspiration from the story's main character:

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

That no-frills attitude extends to the central dynamic between himself and young Egg, a distinctively bald-headed child whom readers know has a backstory that will loom large in Westeros history — but that's a long way off. For now, Parker compares this setting to "14th century Britain," focusing on a specific class of people with no concern for magic or thrones or political backstabbing. All Dunk and Egg have are their skills, their bond, and, as Parker describes, "a lot of heart." Even the famously hard-to-please Martin found himself won over by the direction of the show. General audiences can watch it for themselves when "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" debuts on HBO in January 2026.