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Why did HBO make A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms? It was cheaper than other Game of Thrones projects, says George R.R. Martin

Sure, sure, HBO knew that Game of Thrones fans would tune into see the adaptation of George R.R. Martin's Dunk & Egg novellas - it doesn't hurt though, says the author, that those novellas are also less money to adapt

News by Grant DeArmitt, Staff Writer

Published on Tue Jan 20 2026

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Westeros is so back, baby. Though I guess it never really left.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the latest Game of Thrones prequel to air on HBO, has officially debuted, adapting George R.R. Martin's high-fantasy world in a way that's yet to be seen. Based on The Tales of Dunk & Egg novellas, the Peter Claffey-starring series is a giant departure from what's come before in terms of tone, story arc, and according to the author himself, in budget.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in a recent career retrospective, Martin gave the series' truncated budget as a major, though perhaps not the only, reason for its existence.

"This doesn’t have any dragons or big battles," the Song of Ice and Fire writer tells the outlet, "It has a field and a lot of tents and some horses." Martin further expanded on this idea by saying HBO was attracted to a Game of Thrones show in which "we could get the budget a little under control."

Echoing Martin's sentiments was series showrunner Ira Parker, who seems to believe a paring down was exactly what the plague doctor ordered for a franchise as sprawling as Game of Thrones.

"At the end of the day," Parker tells THR, "We are Game of Thrones without all the stuff [...] We have one of the ingredients — two unusual characters like Arya and the Hound, or Brienne and Podrick — who are paired together and having conversations. I hope that’s what [made Thrones work]."

Well not to count your dragons before they're hatched, Ira, but according to reviews of episode 1, that is part of what's making A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms work. And all that without having to shell out for White Walker insurance.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is streaming on HBO Max now.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is bringing all of us back to Westeros, and Popverse has got more Game of Thrones articles than could fit on a spiky chair. We've got everything you need to dive into the series, including:

Plus much more coming as it gets announced!

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Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.