GoT Spinoff 'Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Hits 13M Viewers
The new *Game of Thrones* spinoff, *A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms*, is averaging 13 million viewers per episode on HBO. The strong viewership figures put the series on track to become HBO Max's third-biggest television debut ever. The success demonstrates the fantasy franchise's enduring appeal and the platform's continued investment in the universe.
- The series is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's "Tales of Dunk and Egg" novellas, which are set approximately a century before the events of *Game of Thrones*. The first season is based on the initial novella, "The Hedge Knight." - Ira Parker serves as the showrunner, sharing creator credit with Martin. The six-episode first season featured directors Sarah Adina Smith (*Lessons in Chemistry*) and Owen Harris (*Black Mirror: San Junipero*). - The lead roles are filled by Peter Claffey as the hedge knight Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall, and Dexter Sol Ansell as his squire, a young Aegon V Targaryen, known as "Egg." - In a departure from the epic-scale conflicts of its predecessors, the series offers a more character-driven story with a lighter, more adventurous tone. - The show's timeline places it about 72 years after the events depicted in *House of the Dragon* and 90 years prior to *A Song of Ice and Fire*. - HBO officially ordered the series in April 2023 and the first season premiered on January 18, 2026. - Ahead of its premiere, HBO renewed the show for a second season, which is slated for a 2027 release and will adapt the second novella in the series, "The Sworn Sword."
