Game of Thrones’ Next Spinoff Has Been Delayed (What Does That Mean for House of the Dragon?)

Fans of Game of Thrones will have to wait a little longer before the next spinoff makes its way to HBO. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight is set to join House of the Dragon in HBO’s continued efforts to expand the world of Game of Thrones. Each of these series is based on the works of author George R.R. Martin and takes place during different time periods in Westeros, with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms taking place 100 years before the events in Game of Thrones and 100 years after the events of House of the Dragon. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms never had an official release date, but we now know the series is being held back until 2026.

George R.R. Martin originally stated that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight would air sometime by the end of 2025. However, during Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfronts presentation, a trailer for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was shown to those in attendance. The title card ended with “2026,” though HBO CEO Casey Bloys confirmed on stage that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms would debut in the “winter,” meaning we should expect an early 2026 release.

Something else Martin revealed in an update on his blog was that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was renewed for a second season, and that work on Season 2 was already underway. Martin wrote that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms finished filming “months ago, and moved right on to post production. I’ve seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them.” He praised the cast and crew, particularly the writers who adapted his novella into a screenplay.

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“It’s as faithful an adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how increedibly reasonable I am on that particular subject,)” Martin wrote. Further down the post, he shared that “The series will make its debut later this year, I am now told. How late, I could not say. Maybe in the fall. I hope you will love the show as much as I do. Meanwhile, we’ll be moving on to The Sworn Sword, the second tale of Dunk & Egg.”

This all leads to the question of whether HBO will release House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms together in 2026? When HBO released its “Coming to Max in 2025” trailer, House of the Dragon was nowhere to be found in the footage. This means the more likely window is 2026. Theoretically, House of the Dragon could release in the spring/summer of 2026, followed by A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in the fall. Game of Thrones fans will surely appreciate the double-dipping of content.

“A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg,” the logline for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms reads. “Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.”

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms stars Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as his squire, Egg. They’re joined by Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen, Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, and Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen. Sarah Adina Smith (Lessons In Chemistry, Hanna, Buster’s Mal Heart) is directing three of the six episodes. Previously announced director and executive producer Owen Harris will also direct three episodes.

What do you think about HBO delaying A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms until 2026? Let us know in the comments below!