While Game of Thrones may have ended in 2019, HBO is keeping the franchise alive through a slate of spinoffs. Of course, there's House of the Dragon, which is currently close to wrapping its third season. And also a brand-new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
As officially confirmed by HBO boss Casey Bloys on Sunday night after the Emmys, both seasons will arrive in 2026—which will become the most prolific year for content in the franchise's history.
HBO will release seasons of two different GoT spinoffs within the same year
When it comes to the Game of Thrones franchise, the key has been quality over quantity. Unlike other big television franchises—like The Walking Dead, for instance—there hasn't been spinoff after spinoff. In fact, up to now, the only other series has been the prequel House of the Dragon.
Of course, that's about to change in January 2026 with the release of series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas.
The arrival of both A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon season 3 totals 14 episodes. This smashes the record for the most episodes of the franchise in a single year. Only the 10-episode earlier seasons of Game of Thrones come close.
Is this gluttony of content a good thing?
Unlike other proposed series, such as the Jon Snow sequel (which has been shelved), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has the benefit of actually being based on an existing work. Martin released the Tales of Dunk and Egg between 1998 and 2010. It's split into three novellas: The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight. Martin does plan to write more tales based on these characters, but nothing further has been released.
Fans of Martin's novels have discussed a potential Dunk and Egg series for years, going back as far as earlier seasons of Game of Thrones. Unlike the mother series, Dunk and Egg tells a more personal story, set around 90 to 100 years before the events of Thrones. The stakes are nowhere near as high. Instead, we follow the unlikely duo of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Aegon V Targaryen, a.k.a. Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), as they navigate the harsh land of Westeros.
This series feels less like making another show for the sake of money and keeping the franchise relevant, but actually adapting a beloved existing work. Of course, the former points do come into effect to some extent; making television is a business.
Adapting the saga of Dunk and Egg feels like a just and logical next step for the franchise. Is it a risk? Sure. Making a Jon Snow sequel would bring in more viewers, no doubt, but it would likely sacrifice the quality of the franchise just for fan service.
It remains to be seen whether A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a success or not. We'll soon find out when the series premieres in January 2026. After that, House of the Dragon season 3 will premiere in late spring or early summer that year.
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