A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Debut Trailer Reveals Jousting, a Fake Dragon, and an Altogether More Light-Hearted Atmosphere Than Game of Thrones

HBO Max has released the debut trailer for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which contains plentifulness of jousting, a fake dragon, and an altogether much light-hearted ambiance than Game of Thrones.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, owed retired connected HBO Max connected January 18, 2026, adapts George R. R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novella trilogy, itself a prequel to Game of Thrones acceptable 100 years earlier the events of the main books. Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell play Ser Duncan the Tall and Egg, respectively.

The trailer reveals a amusement precise antithetic tonally from the grim Game of Thrones, with a fewer lines designed to marque you smirk, not wince. We spot Dunk marque his mode arsenic a hedge knight (a wandering knight without a master), and his emerging narration with his squire, Egg.

— HBO Max (@hbomax) October 9, 2025

Here’s the logline:

A period earlier the events of Game of Thrones, 2 improbable heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set successful an property erstwhile the Targaryen enactment inactive holds the Iron Throne, and the representation of the past dragon has not yet passed from surviving memory, large destinies, almighty foes, and unsafe exploits each await these improbable and incomparable friends.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms formed successful full:

Peter Claffey arsenic Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall, Dexter Sol Ansell arsenic Egg, Daniel Ings arsenic Ser Lyonel Baratheon, Bertie Carvel arsenic Baelor Targaryen, Danny Webb arsenic Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Sam Spruell arsenic Maekar Targaryen, Shaun Thomas arsenic Raymun Fossoway, Finn Bennett arsenic Aerion Targaryen, Edward Ashley arsenic Ser Steffon Fossoway, Tanzyn Crawford arsenic Tanselle, Henry Ashton arsenic Daeron Targaryen, Youssef Kerkour arsenic Steely Pate, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor arsenic Plummer and Daniel Monks arsenic Ser Manfred Dondarrion.

As elaborate by Entertainment Weekly, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does not person an opening rubric sequence, successful opposition to Game of Thrones’ iconic opening sequence, which is embedded successful the representation of an service of fans. Instead, arsenic EW described it, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has “a elemental rubric paper with medieval typography successful betwixt the opening enactment of each episode.”

Showrunner Ira Parker said the determination was made owed to the benignant of amusement A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is and who its characters, Ser Duncan the Tall and Egg, are.

“All decisions came down to Dunk, trying to transmission the benignant of idiosyncratic helium is into each facet of this show, adjacent the rubric sequence," Parker explained.

“The rubric sequences connected the archetypal [Game of Thrones] and House of the Dragon are large and epic and incredible. Ramin Djawadi’s people is orchestral and ample and beautiful. That's not truly Dunk’s M.O. He’s plain and he’s elemental and he’s to-the-point. He doesn't person a batch of flash to him.”

Don’t expect dragons and a big, magical standard to this show, either. “Nobody's reasoning astir magic,” Parker said. “This could fundamentally beryllium 14th period Britain. This is hard nose, grind it out, gritty, medieval knights, acold with a truly light, hopeful touch. It's a fantastic spot to be. We are crushed up successful this series, we are starting close astatine the bottom. We're not with the lords and ladies, the kings and queens."

George R. R. Martin has expressed his enthusiasm astir A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms successful the past — Martin teased earlier this twelvemonth that helium couldn’t hold to spot Dunk and Egg’s communicative travel to TV screens.

“I’ve seen each six episodes present (the past 2 successful unsmooth cuts, admittedly), and I loved them," Martin said successful a blog station successful January. "Dunk and Egg person ever been favorites of mine, and the actors we recovered to represent them are conscionable incredible. The remainder of the formed are terrific arsenic well. Wait until you guys conscionable the Laughing Storm and Tanselle Too-Tall.”

Martin continued to observe A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, adding: “It’s arsenic faithful an adaptation arsenic a tenable antheral could anticipation for (and you each cognize however incredibly tenable I americium connected that peculiar subject).”

The six-episode play debuts Sunday, January 18 astatine 10pm ET / PT connected HBO and volition beryllium disposable to watercourse connected HBO Max. New episodes volition debut consequent Sundays.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].