In the ever-expanding world of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, HBO has found its lead actors for the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
The series, which is set to take place approximately 100 years before the events of the original Game of Thrones, will follow the unlikely pairing of Ser Duncan the Tall, a young and noble-yet-naive knight, and his diminutive squire, Egg. These characters were first introduced in Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas, and now they’ve found their on-screen counterparts.
Peter Claffey, a former professional rugby player who has more recently taken up acting, will portray the towering Ser Duncan. Despite the character’s massive 6’11” frame in the books, the 6’4″ Claffey should still cut an imposing figure. Meanwhile, the role of Egg will be played by 10-year-old Dexter Sol Ansell, who has previous experience in the Hunger Games franchise as the young Coriolanus Snow.
The series, which was first announced back in 2021, is being written and executive produced by Martin alongside Ira Parker, Ryan Condal, Vince Gerardis, Owen Harris, and Sarah Bradshaw. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is targeting a six-episode first season that will adapt the events of Martin’s novel The Hedge Knight.
HBO has expressed interest in potentially expanding the series into a trilogy, with subsequent seasons adapting the novellas The Sworn Sword and The Mystery Knight. If that comes to fruition, audiences can look forward to following Dunk and Egg’s adventures across Westeros for years to come.
With the casting of Claffey and Ansell, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has taken a significant step forward in bringing this beloved corner of the Game of Thrones universe to life. Fans of the original series, as well as newcomers curious about this lesser-known era, will no doubt be eager to see how these two actors bring the iconic Dunk and Egg to the screen. The anticipated late 2025 debut of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO Max can’t come soon enough for those hungry for more Westeros-set storytelling.
