HBO’s next Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, should resemble the original series in a distinct, notable way. Since Game of Thrones’ ending in 2019, the franchise has had some trouble getting back on its feet following the mass cultural phenomenon that surrounded the original series. House of the Dragon’s first season aired to critical acclaim in 2022, but the second saw a far more divisive response, resetting a significant portion of the fanbase back to the outrage that followed the disastrous season 8.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
is based on George R.R. Martin’s “Dunk and Egg” novellas.
While Game of Thrones had one of the worst endings in television history, there’s still a massive audience that loves the world of George R.R. Martin’s books and wants to see it portrayed well on-screen. Love or hate House of the Dragon season 2, the divisive response isn’t ideal, knowing what the franchise is capable of when it’s at its best. 2025’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will attempt to right the ship once more, with Martin even offering the show some praise, saying, “Dunk and Egg look as if they walked out of the pages of my book.”
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Filmed In Belfast, Which House Of The Dragon Did Not
Belfast Is The Home Of Many Iconic Game Of Thrones Locations
For several years, Belfast, Northern Ireland, was the home of Game of Thrones, as the filming location for scenes in the North and many other regions of Westeros. While the show was shot in different countries like Iceland, Spain, Croatia, and more, the nature of Belfast was crucial to establishing the tone of the original show. House of the Dragon, on the other hand, was mainly filmed at Leavesden Studio in the UK, which has been their base of operations, establishing a different look for the prequel show.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms notably returned to Titanic Studios in Belfast for its interior sets and filmed in Tollymore Forest Park, Mourne Mountains, and Downpatrick in Northern Ireland for its exterior locations. Myra Castle, which was used in Game of Thrones when filming for the Dreadfort, is now being reused for the setting of Ashford. The Mourne Mountains were also used as backdrops for the North in Game of Thrones but will be used in the new series to establish scenery around the Reach.
Why A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Filming In Belfast Is Significant
The New Spinoff Can Bring Back The Classic Westeros Atmosphere
While House of the Dragon hones in on the political aspect of Game of Thrones, examining the events of the Targaryen dynasty under the roof of the Red Keep and Dragonstone, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will capture a different component of the original series. As Dunk and Egg travel around Westeros, they’ll have unique opportunities to explore regions of the series that haven’t been shown in either series so far. In Game of Thrones, there were often long traveling sequences where characters got to explore new corners of the world, creating a sense of adventure.
Returning to Belfast can help embellish that aspect of the series, as it could potentially feel reminiscent of Game of Thrones stories like Arya and the Hound’s travels or Brienne and Jaime’s journey. While not as enchanting as the merry travels of the Fellowship of the Ring, adventures in Westeros still have some charm to them and allow for some of the world’s most beautiful, organic character development. The look and feel of Belfast will allow the franchise to return to that slowed-down pace of traveling, where audiences are able to explore interesting corners of Martin’s world.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Will Be A Unique Game Of Thrones Spinoff
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Is Much Smaller In Scale Than The Other Series
Compared to House of the Dragon, which took many elements from Game of Thrones and made them different, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be a largely different story. The Dunk and Egg novellas are far less epic than Martins’ A Song of Ice & Fire book series and are a more centralized, character-driven narrative about the two titular figures. While there are still elements of classic Game of Thrones, like Targaryen family members, knights and tournaments, and Westerosi politics, they won’t be quite as prevalent.
With Game of Thrones’ other upcoming spinoffs, including stories like Aegon’s Conquest and 10,000 Ships, the 2025 prequel has the opportunity to set a unique tone among the many more sprawling series. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will offer something comforting and familiar while also offering a fun, new angle on the world many fans know and love.