If you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to medieval tournaments in movies or TV, wait until you find out where the standard every knight fan knows today actually comes from. You know those lance clashes, horses charging at full speed, armor-crunching hits, and the kind of tension that leaves not just the characters breathless but the audience too? Have you seen it done without modern special effects? Some older fantasy movies are still beloved by certain fans, but most are forgotten because of their effects quality (and that’s not an exaggeration). Many just don’t hold up today. However, in this case, we’re talking about a ’50s production that’s astonishingly precise at conveying rhythm, drama, and intensity all at once, without feeling dated.
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For fans of action-driven medieval stories with characters really being tested, this one is a must-watch. And here’s the kicker: decades later, this film became a direct reference for George R.R. Martin. The author behind the books that inspired Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon used it as inspiration for the TV adaptation of his Tales of Dunk and Egg story, The Hedge Knight, which became A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Ivanhoe Is a Masterclass for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Fans
Released in 1952 and directed by Richard Thorpe, starring Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, and Joan Fontaine, Ivanhoe follows Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a knight returning from the Crusades to restore order in 12th-century England, needing to deal with conflicts between Saxons and Normans. On top of that, there are loyalty issues and a complicated romance he must handle. But much of the film revolves around a tournament hosted by Prince John, where Ivanhoe, in disguise, must prove his worth in jousts. And that’s where some of the best tournament sequences ever filmed appear — tight choreography, really good tension, and horses actually in motion.
For A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms fans, Ivanhoe is basically a hands-on lesson. How so? The Game of Thrones spin-off puts the tournament at the center of its story just like the movie did, turning the competition into a test of courage, honor, and skill. And the best part? It doesn’t rely on CGI or over-the-top production tricks to work. According to showrunner Ira Parker, the goal wasn’t to use aerial drone shots to create Dunk’s POV, for instance, because the aim was a more grounded, intimate look — not an epic-scale spectacle. And they drew that approach directly from Ivanhoe, where nearly everything was done practically.
It’s also worth noting how expertly the film balances action with storytelling, because it’s not just a nonstop string of fights; there are political conflicts, personal dilemmas, romance, and social tension. And that same idea shows up in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms as well: the action always serves the story, not the other way around. You can see this most clearly through Dunk’s journey in The Hedge Knight.
In the story, Dunk finds himself caught up in defending a marionette girl attacked by Prince Aerion Targaryen, as we saw in episode 3, “The Squire.” From there, he faces trial by combat. And even though the series isn’t finished yet, we’ve already seen how Dunk experiences fear and adrenaline at the Ashford Meadow tournament. Everything we see is from his POV, showing that while he initially enters the competition for money and glory, it’s through watching the tournaments that he fully grasps not just the stakes of the situation, but the kind of people he’s getting himself tangled up with. That’s why the jousts have to be such a focal point — they’re how Dunk experiences the story, with emotions running high.
In Ivanhoe, there’s that same suspense and drama tied to the protagonist, as his journey is directly connected to what the tournament represents. While the overarching story is about rescuing King Richard the Lionheart and opposing the usurper Prince John, much of the drama centers around the tournament. That’s why Martin considers the film so relevant to the series and why fans of his work are likely to enjoy it as well — a medieval epic can be thrilling, visually impressive, and narratively significant all at once.
George R. R. Martin Challenged A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to Live Up to the Movie’s Scenes
On his blog, the author shared details about bringing the series to TV and talked about Ivanhoe specifically as a reference for jousting scenes. If you watch the ’50s classic, you can see exactly where certain show choices came from: tournament structure and how the protagonist interacts with the crowd and opponents. In episode 2, “Hard Salt Beef,” multiple jousts happen simultaneously rather than one isolated scene, a fresh take compared to Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon. This came from Ivanhoe and consequently from Martin challenging the production to make A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms spectacular.
At the 2025 New York Comic Con, the author explained: “I set [the show’s team] a challenge, which I think Ira and his people have delivered. I said, ‘Let’s do the best jousting sequences that have ever been put on film.’ A modest little challenge for Ira and his crew,” he admitted. “I think my favorite previous was 1952’s Ivanhoe. They don’t have much jousting, but what they have is really good. That’s the standard. You guys can judge how we did. But I think we did really well.” (via Winter is Coming)
This new spin-off brings a lot of things that are different from what we’ve seen in the Westeros universe so far, but the jousting scenes are on another level. In fact, if you notice, the show even dares to do something that’s basically never been done before: jousting at night. For Martin, all the focus on this kind of competition and a structure that’s different from the usual medieval setups really excites him since he’s a huge fan of medieval tournaments. And honestly, with each new episode, the audience keeps getting surprised, because this very choice of putting the spotlight on jousting in a distinct way is what makes the show more thrilling and fun to watch.
To sum up, Ivanhoe is highly relevant for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms fans because both explore how a tournament can reveal a character’s true nature and how far they’ll go — physically and emotionally. If you follow Martin’s adaptations, the movie helps you understand the intent behind this spin-off and why it’s drawing so much attention at the moment.
Have you ever heard of Ivanhoe? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools. -
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