A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: HBO Reveals Episode Count for Game of Thrones Prequel

Alright, Westeros fans, here we go again. HBO isn’t even close to finished squeezing Game of Thrones for every last drop. If you’re already mapping out your TV schedule for 2026 (that’s…two years away, thanks HBO), mark January 18th—because that’s when A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms drops.

What Are We Actually Getting?

This is a straight-up prequel set a full hundred years before the original series—back when the Targaryens had most of their dragons, and nobody had heard of Jon Snow. The show is based directly on George R. R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novels, which are honestly some of his breeziest reads if you find Fire & Blood a bit much.

For the uninitiated: the story follows Ser Duncan the Tall, your classic wandering, over-earnest knight, and his squire, “Egg”—who, minor spoiler, is not just some scrappy stable kid. Together, they get into all sorts of medieval trouble across Westeros while the Targaryens rule the Iron Throne with varying degrees of competence.

Who’s Running the Show?

The series is co-created by Ira Parker and, of course, George R. R. Martin himself. This time around, HBO has tapped Peter Claffey (as Dunk) and Dexter Sol Ansell (as the inexplicably bald Egg) for the leads. If you haven’t heard those names, don’t worry—the bar for “unknowns who became stars overnight” is high when it comes to Thrones spin-offs.

The writing team is an interesting mix: Ira Parker, Aziza Barnes, Hiram Martinez, Annie Julia Wyman, and Ti Mikkel are set to pen the scripts. Directing duties go to Owen Harris and Sarah Adina Smith—folks with solid resumes, so let’s hope they get to flex a bit.

Executive producers? Basically everyone: Sarah Bradshaw, Owen Harris, Hiram Martinez, Ira Parker, Ryan J. Condal, Vince Gerardis, and GRRM himself.

How Many Episodes and What’s the Schedule?

This isn’t another Thrones-style marathon. Season one will roll out over six episodes, airing weekly on HBO. The first episode is called, fittingly, 'The Hedge Knight.' After that, it’s a steady stream until late February:

• Jan 18, 2026: The Hedge Knight (Ep 1)
• Jan 25, 2026: Episode 2 (Title TBA)
• Feb 1, 2026: Episode 3 (Title TBA)
• Feb 8, 2026: Episode 4 (Title TBA)
• Feb 15, 2026: Episode 5 (Title TBA)
• Feb 22, 2026: Episode 6 (Season finale, Title TBA)

Yes, it really is scheduled almost a full year-and-a-half in advance. Just in case anyone was worried HBO might get distracted and forget to air it.

Where Can You Actually Watch This?

Unsurprising news: it's HBO. Stateside, you can stream A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO Max. (Or just “Max,” if you’re still pretending that makes it sound new and cool.) Here’s their latest pricing scheme:

• Basic with Ads – $10.99/month ($109.99/year): Ads, HD, 2 devices at once.
• Standard (Ad-Free) – $18.49/month ($184.99/year): No ads, HD/near-4K, more downloads.
• Premium (Ad-Free) – $22.99/month ($229.99/year): 4K, max devices & downloads.

Pick your poison. Personally, nothing says “prestige drama” like ad breaks for car insurance, but you do you.

Already Renewed for Season Two

In a move that’s either extremely confident or just budget-friendly, HBO has already greenlit season two—even before season one hits the air. If all goes to plan (a bold assumption for this franchise), we’ll be seeing more adventures with Dunk and Egg sometime in 2027.

Quote Corner

HBO has dropped an official trailer and several promo shots already—but, yeah, still holding back key episode titles. We love a little mystery.

Final Thoughts

If you’re even a casual Thrones fan, this new spin-off could be a great jumping-on point: more knights and adventures, less world-ending nihilism (for now). If not, well…maybe sit tight and let the rest of us obsess over dragon politics for another decade.

Mark your calendars: January 18, 2026. Let’s see if Westeros still has some magic left.