Did Game of Thrones Creators Rush A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

HBO just renewed its new Game of Thrones spinoff for Season 2 before anyone has seen a single frame. Bold? Definitely. Wise? We’ll find out in 2026.

HBO hits the renew button early

Per Deadline, HBO has locked in a second season of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' even though Season 1 doesn’t premiere until January 18, 2026. The first season runs six episodes and serves as the franchise’s third series after 'House of the Dragon'. It’s a confident move, especially with the lingering aftertaste of that polarizing 'Game of Thrones' finale and the mixed reaction to 'House of the Dragon' Season 2. Translation: there’s real risk here, and HBO knows it.

The plan behind the gamble

This early renewal isn’t coming out of nowhere. HBO’s Head of Drama, Francesca Orsi, has been open about aiming for a three-season run from the start, built around George R.R. Martin’s three Dunk & Egg novellas. She told Deadline earlier this year that she was impressed with the leads and that the team had already been mapping out how to tell the story across three seasons — even before anything was officially picked up. Now that Season 2 is confirmed, that original three-season roadmap suddenly feels a lot more likely.

So what is this show exactly?

Set almost a century before 'Game of Thrones', 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' follows Ser Duncan the Tall — a decent guy and a better-than-he-looks fighter — and his young squire, Egg, as they wander Westeros during the Targaryen era, when dragons are fading into rumor more than reality. It’s a smaller-scale, on-the-road story inside a giant world, which is part of the appeal.

Cast and creative

Peter Claffey steps in as Dunk, with Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg. The series is co-created by Ira Parker and George R.R. Martin, with Parker running the show.

George R.R. Martin’s fingerprints are on it

Showrunner Ira Parker has been pretty clear about how involved Martin has been. He says he spent dedicated time digging into Martin’s thoughts on Dunk, Egg, and 'The Hedge Knight' in particular, and that the collaboration shaped the season in a big way.

'I did this season for George. The fact that he’s happy makes me very happy. Hopefully, this extends to other people.'

That’s Parker talking to Temple of Geek. If you’re wondering how faithful the tone might be, that’s a good sign.

Bottom line

HBO is betting big on this corner of Westeros. The renewal is gutsy, the expectations are high, and the runway is long — almost a year and a half before we even start Season 1. If the show lands, the three-season arc HBO has been eyeing is basically teed up.

• Premiere: January 18, 2026
• Season 1 length: 6 episodes
• Status: Season 2 ordered ahead of the premiere (via Deadline)
• Setting: About 100 years before 'Game of Thrones', during Targaryen rule as dragons fade into legend
• Leads: Peter Claffey (Dunk), Dexter Sol Ansell (Egg)
• Creators: Ira Parker and George R.R. Martin; showrunner: Ira Parker
• Source material: Martin’s three Dunk & Egg novellas
• HBO’s aim: A three-season arc, per Francesca Orsi
• Franchise context: Third series following 'House of the Dragon'; renewal comes amid lingering franchise skepticism