The latest streaming adaptation of George RR Martin’s fantasy works is on track to come to screens very soon – with the latest news today confirming the release date of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Hedge Knight:
What is The Hedge Knight about?
The Hedge Knight is the prequel to the prequel about Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. After the success of House of the Dragon made everyone momentarily forget about the shocker of an ending that the GOT series had, HBO were clearly keen to capitalise on George R. R. Martin’s other Westeros-based literary works. And so they turned to the adventures of Dunk and Egg, two heroes that existed some 100 years prior to Jon Snow and Danaerys Targaryen, whose adventures are chronicled across three novellas: The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight.
Here’s the 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’.
Who are Dunk and Egg?
Dunk is the nickname of Ser Duncan the Tall (so named because he’s literally seven feet tall), aka the future Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and Egg is short for Aegon V Targaryen, Dunk’s young squire, and the future king of Westeros. That’s ‘future’ in respect to Dunk and Egg’s timeline, not the timeline of TV series Game of Thrones, which places Aegon as a former, and very much dead, king. Dunk, the titular hedge knight – which is sort of like a Westerosian Ronin: a wandering knight without a master – is described as young, naïve but courageous, and Egg is described simply as diminutive. They’re just two guys having adventures, singing songs and sinking tinnies (okay, I made that last bit up).
Who is writing/directing/producing The Hedge Knight?
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has only confirmed that the project has been greenlit, under the official title A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. HBO ordered the project in April of 2023, and the writer’s room that was formed had to pause during the WGA writer’s strikes. Production is back on schedule though, as far as we know. George R.R. Martin is credited as creator and executive producer. HBO will of course own and distribute the series, with a release date planned for later 2025.
Read: House of the Dragon Season 2: trailer and images released
When will The Hedge Knight begin production?
The Hedge Knight is currently in pre-production, with production expected to commence shortly.
When can I watch The Hedge Knight?
The release date for The Hedge Knight is set for 2025. Stay tuned for further confirmation on the exact day and month that the first episode will premiere on.
Do I need to read all of the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire‘ books before I watch the series?
No. As with Game of Thrones, it doesn’t appear necessary to read any of George R. R. Martin’s books before diving in to watch the adaptations. Your choice to read the source texts may enrich or sully your experience of the shows, depending on your subjective experience.
Will there be other Game of Thrones spin-offs?
Yes. As reported in The Hollywood Reporter, HBO is also developing an Aegon’s Conquest prequel series from The Batman: Part II writer Mattson Tomlin.
Read: Binge: new shows and films streaming this week
What streaming service will I need to sign up to to watch The Hedge Knight?
In Australia, Binge is the service that is currently licensed to stream HBO content like Game of Thrones, Barry, House of the Dragon, and The Last of Us. It’s extremely likely that the forthcoming The Hedge Knight will end up there, too.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is confirmed for a 2025 release.
