HBO dropped the first trailer for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and it paints a warmer picture of Westeros. Jousts, a cheeky fake dragon, and a hedge knight with more heart than status set the tone. Instead of palace scheming, we meet a traveling duo who stumble into trouble and honor in equal measure. The series premieres January 18, 2026 on HBO, with streaming on Max.
What the trailer tells us
This story adapts George R. R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg, set a century before Game of Thrones. Ser Duncan the Tall begins as a wandering knight with little more than a dented helm and a sturdy conscience, while his squire Egg carries secrets that will matter later. The footage leans into charm and scrapes at ground level, where a well-placed wooden lance can change a life faster than a royal decree.
A different rhythm than Thrones
Showrunner Ira Parker has been clear about the guiding idea here. This is a small, human-scale adventure, closer to a medieval road tale than an operatic fantasy. The production even skips a grand title sequence, using a simple card so the episode can get right back to Dunk and Egg. It suits characters who value a hot meal, a fair fight, and a paid debt more than a crown.
The story setup
Season one adapts The Hedge Knight, following Dunk and Egg to the tourney at Ashford Meadow. For newcomers, that means rivalries, tilted lances, and choices that test a knight’s code in front of hungry crowds. Veterans will notice the seeds of bigger history, but the show keeps the focus on friendship, courage, and the consequences of simple promises.
Cast to know
Peter Claffey plays Ser Duncan the Tall, and Dexter Sol Ansell is Egg. The ensemble includes Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, Danny Webb as Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen, Shaun Thomas as Raymun Fossoway, Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen, Edward Ashley as Ser Steffon Fossoway, Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, Henry Ashton as Daeron Targaryen, Youssef Kerkour as Steely Pate, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Plummer, and Daniel Monks as Ser Manfred Dondarrion. It is a six-episode season.
George R. R. Martin’s take
Martin has already watched the season and came away delighted, calling it a faithful adaptation and urging fans to meet the Laughing Storm and Tanselle Too-Tall. That kind of endorsement, from the author who guards his stories closely, bodes well for what we will see on Sundays.
Why it matters
Game of Thrones showed Westeros through the halls of power, and House of the Dragon stayed close to the throne room. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms invites viewers to walk the muddy roads instead. If the trailer is any sign, the show trades the roar of dragons for the clatter of tourney stands and the quiet weight of a knight’s word. That gives the world room to feel lived in again, and it offers a welcoming on-ramp for anyone who wants character first, spectacle second.
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