George R.R. Martin says title for new Game of Thrones prequel show remains unsettled

HBO's megahit Game of Thrones was based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, but took its name from the first book in that series: A Game of Thrones. Prequel TV show House of the Dragon is based on Martin's book Fire & Blood, and seems to take its name from nothing particular in the text. "House of the Dragon" just sounds neat.

Personally, I would have preferred that House of the Dragon be called "Fire & Blood" — I think that sounds cooler, not to mention shorter and snappier, but that's just me. And now we come to the next Game of Thrones prequel series: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on Martin's Dunk & Egg novellas. Set decades after the events of House of the Dragon but decades before the start of Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows a very tall knight named Dunk and his short squire named Egg, and promises to be an altogether more intimate, lighter show than either of its forebears. The show takes its title from a book that collects the three Dunk & Egg novellas Martin has published thus far, called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

The first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will adapt the first of Martin's Dunk & Egg novellas, entitled "The Hedge Knight;" so far, he's also written novellas called "The Sworn Shield" and "The Mystery Knight" (and has an idea for another called "The She-Wolves of Winterfell," which is a hell of a title.) For a while, it sounded like HBO might call the TV show The Hedge Knight, but seemed to eventually settle on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. So it goes.

However, the other day, Martin threw this into question when he wrote about the new Game of Thrones prequel on his Not a Blog, sharing that "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" will "probably" be the title..."unless we go with THE HEDGE KNIGHT. That’s still under discussion."

Now, Martin has a habit of revealing little behind-the-scenes tidbits from shows based on his work that HBO may or may not want to make public; I imagine HBO would prefer people accept "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" as the official title of the show, at least until they decide amongst themselves that they want to change it.

But I don't mind Martin sharing this bit of information, and personally I'd prefer they go with "The Hedge Knight." It's shorter and sweeter, plus more poetic. I have no idea how deep into Dunk and Egg's journeys the show will go, but in the long arc of history they end up becoming rather important people to the Seven Kingdoms. I like the idea of the show still being called "The Hedge Knight" even deep into this journey, since that's what Dunk considers himself in his private heart even as he rises in the world.

In any case, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or The Hedge Knight or whatever HBO ends up calling it will premiere sometime next year.

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