HBO CEO Casey Bloys opened up on how A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has a release strategy unlike other shows of its genre.
In an interview with Deadline, Bloys discussed the release strategy for future seasons of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and assured fans HBO wants to ensure each season comes out annually.
“Yes, they’re currently shooting. This will be annual. Again, it was something that we were trying to — it’s not possible for all shows — but it is something that, where it’s possible creatively, to get back to that and we’d like to try and do that.”
Obviously, that last comment raises a key concern for genre TV show fans, considering the very long gaps between seasons. Stranger Things, which just came to an end after five seasons on Netflix, had over three years between seasons 4 and 5. House of the Dragon has taken two years between each of its first three seasons. The third season will arrive later this year. Fans of other shows often face waits of a year-plus before a new season arrives.
That hurts a show’s momentum, and for a genre series like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, that can be brutal. It raises expectations that may not be met and a long delay may make viewers drift away. HBO revealing that season 2 is set for 2027 is a great sign not just for the fans but for the show itself.
Luckily, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has become another major hit for HBO. The Game of Thrones spinoff is unique in that each episode is barely over half an hour long, much shorter than those of other shows of its type. It’s also done on a modest budget, which could be a formula that HBO could replicate in the future, but it's not likely.
Why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms isn’t going to start a trend
Deadline noted that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and HBO’s Emmy-winning smash The Pitt delivered strong viewership on a far more modest budget and on a smaller scale than past HBO epics like House of the Dragon.
As Bloys pointed out, the novella is not as wide in scope as Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon and is more of a "two-hander" with the focus on Dunk and Egg. The need to expand it just to be a "cash-in" isn't there. That obviously helps keep the budget lower and production much easier, but that can't be done with every fantasy show. Some shows need big budgets to bring the fantasy elements to life in a way that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms doesn't.
Bloys added how HBO has always been “a portfolio business,” meaning a mix of huge series and smaller-scale shows
What this means is that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms doesn’t need a huge budget and/or ten episodes every season to tell its story and entertain. It fits HBO well, and Bloys has shown confidence in the future, so fans can be assured A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will have a place on HBO as long as its creators want to keep making it.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms airs Sundays on HBO MAX.