HBO is getting perilously close to creating a Game of Thrones universe of TV shows. First came Game of Thrones, which ended in 2019. Then came the prequel series House of the Dragon, which will air its second season this summer. On top of that, HBO is working on another spinoff show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, based on author George R.R. Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas.
Things have moved quickly on this new series, which is set decades after House of the Dragon but decades before Game of Thrones. We heard about casting as early as last October, although we don't have any names yet. But HBO must have things well in hand, because filming was set to begin this spring. However, a new listing in industry rag Production Weekly has filming for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms beginning this summer, so it looks like things have been slightly delayed.
Thanks to Redanian Intelligence for noticing that bit of info. This delay isn't a big deal, particularly since we don't have any expectations yet. Whereas House of the Dragon is a sweeping epic in the style of Game of Thrones, with tons of characters and spectacular battle scenes, Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas are much smaller in scale. They mostly follow the two title characters -- the knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Aegon V Targaryen -- as they wander the Seven Kingdoms solving problems, getting into trouble, and meeting important figures of the day. The show probably won't require as much post-production as House of the Dragon, so whether it's filmed in the spring or summer, a 2025 premiere date seems likely.
And that's good, because after the second season of House of the Dragon airs this year, we'll probably be waiting until 2026 to see season 3. Airing the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight in 2025 could ensure that we at least don't forget about Westeros in the meantime. That said, I hope HBO doesn't overload on Game of Thrones spinoff shows. We're getting four different Star Wars TV shows this year -- The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew, The Bad Batch and Young Jedi Adventures -- and I feel so overwhelmed with choice that my solotion may well be not to watch any of them. I'd hate to see that kind of oversaturation happen with Game of Thrones.
Also, I hope they shorten up the title of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight a bit by the time it makes it to air. We'll keep an eye out between now and then.
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