A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Showrunner Made One Promise To Game Of Thrones' Creator

Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin's "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" is nothing like "Game of Thrones." For starters, the upcoming prequel series does not open with an operatic soundtrack, reflecting the scaled-back nature of the central events. After all, the show is based on Martin's novella series "Tales of Dunk and Egg," which follows Ser Duncan the Tall and Egg at a point in the "Game of Thrones" timeline where both characters seem ordinary enough. Whatever future glory awaits the central duo, Martin's novellas delve into their everyday toils, offering a more character-driven arc as opposed to the complex, intricate saga that is "Game of Thrones."

In keeping with the contained stakes of "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," Parker made a promise to Martin (who also serves as an executive producer) about the focus and tone of the series — namely, that its narrative would always center on those who belong to the lower rungs of Westerosi society. As Parker explained to Entertainment Weekly:

"Nobody's thinking about magic [...] This could basically be 14th-century Britain. This is hard-nose, grind it out, gritty, medieval knights, cold with a really light, hopeful touch. It's a wonderful place to be. We are ground up in this series; we are starting right at the bottom. We're not with the lords and ladies, the kings and queens."

Magic isn't accessible to the average person in Westeros (nor is it something they could sustainably practice if it was), as their busy lives are wholly dedicated to survival, which doesn't come easy to those without wealth or status in this universe. Indeed, the local armorer or barmaid isn't going to be preoccupied with age-old prophecies or limitless ambition, making their grounded perspective valuable to our understanding of Westerosi society.

As you might've guessed, Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas explore varied notions of knighthood, including hedge knights like Duncan, who are masterless swordsmen. Hedge knights do not have fixed allegiance, but this freedom makes space for new codes of chivalry that are upheld despite the absence of obligation. This also means a constant need to secure the next meal and shelter. But while some hedge knights abandon valor for the sake of survival, others, like Duncan, attempt to stick to a clear moral code. Still, there are layers to this so-called valor. Far from a saint, Duncan often resorts to well-meaning deception to earn a bit of coin or evade the occasional enemy.

The stripped-down nature of the opening for "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" reflects Duncan's personality, as he prefers to keep things simple. This is markedly different from the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon," where even the blandest characters have far-reaching ambitions. That series is also full of sorcery and dragons (like "Game of Thrones" before it), with everyone focused on either preserving or destroying royal bloodlines. The world Duncan lives in is very different, however, despite being part of the same Westeros. As Parker put it:

"To find a totally different version of this world that everybody seems to know so well was very, very appealing. The fact that we live in this world, though, where magic once existed, is very interesting to me. This is the ground and the grass that has seen dragons and dragon fire before. So, everything is just like how the world is, but a little stranger, a little different."

"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" premieres January 18, 2026, on HBO.