The showrunners of the upcoming new Game of Thrones spinoff are hinting at how this show will give us a much different view on the Targaryen dynasty than the previous entries did.
Game of Thrones fans are enjoying House of the Dragon, which is currently filming its third and penultimate season. However, production is already underway for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the next entry in the world of Game of Thrones. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres on HBO in January 2026.
Based on George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas, the show is going to be less of an epic adventure and more of a character study. It follows Dunk (Peter Claffey), a squire who, following the death of his master, goes to a tournament to earn money. He meets up with Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), who becomes his own squire.
The show is set nearly a century before the events of Game of Thrones, meaning centuries after House of the Dragon. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Ira Parker hinted at the changes in the world, as it’s been fifty years since the death of the last dragon.
“Nobody's thinking about magic. This could basically be 14th century Britain. This is hard nose, grind it out, gritty, medieval knights, cold with a really light, hopeful touch. It's a wonderful place to be. We are ground up in this series, we are starting right at the bottom. We're not with the lords and ladies, the kings and queens."
However, it’s not GOT without the Targaryens as Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel) arrives for the tournament with brother Prince Maekar (Sam Spruell) and twisted nephew Prince Aerion “Brightflame” (Finn Bennett). However, Parker states that these are not the powerful Targaryens fans know, and their status is a key part of the show.
While House of the Dragon isn’t finished, any fan of the franchise knows the Dance of the Dragons ends the dominance of the Targaryens, and the loss of the dragons takes away the key aspect that made them strong in the first place, as Parker explains.
“They find themselves finally without the thing that put them in power, which is such a precarious position to be in. Fifty years on from the dragons, people are starting to ask the question, ‘Well, why are we still letting them be in power?’”
This is why the Targaryens are in Ashford Meadow in the first place, as they would normally “wouldn’t have even bothered with this backwater little town in the middle of the Reach. But they do because they have to be seen as still in charge.”
Game of Thrones fans know things get worse for the clan in the next century, their power dwindling further until Aerys II, aka "The Mad King,” whose horrific reign sparked a full rebellion. That would almost destroy the family until Daenerys and new dragons led to a new era.
Thus, the show will provide us with a low point for the Targaryens as they attempt to rebuild and offer a fascinating look at how this once-powerful dynasty collapsed, making A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms a much-anticipated entry in the GOT universe.
Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are now streaming on HBO Max.