Ever since the Game of Thrones spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight was announced, fans have been steadily building their excitement to see Dunk and Egg in live action. The novellas series the show is based after, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, features hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and Targaryen prince Aegon V Targaryen as they go on several adventures throughout the Seven Kingdoms, and together they’re the brotherly grumpy/sunshine trope we all need in our lives. Martin shared his thoughts on the successor show via his blog, including his joy over the pilot script and the writing staff, which leaves me with high hopes for the production. While scrolling the internet this past weekend, I stumbled upon exciting news: A casting call has reportedly been put out for our two Westerosi adventurers.
Dunk’s casting call reads, “SOLDIER: Aged 18-25. The soldier is very tall and physically strong. He has a humble disposition and is perceptive and thoughtful. Any ethnicity. Must be at least 6’4 (193cm)”. This sounds like a fantastic summary of Ser Duncan if I do say so myself.
Egg, also known as Aegon V Targaryen and Maester Aemon’s little brother, has a similarly detailed casting call. His reads, “BOY: Aged 9-10. Physically small, the character is wise beyond his years, confident and witty. He has a neutral English accent, and is white with blue/green eyes and pale skin. Must be under 4’6 (137cm) and at least 9 years old by March 2024 for licensing.” Egg is the sunshine to Dunk’s grumpy, and his overall clever antics add a lot of charm and entertainment to this duo.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight takes place approximately 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, putting us nearly squarely in the middle between the events of House of the Dragon and the original show. The tales in the novellas take place after the Blackfyre Rebellion, where, once again, factions of House Targaryen battle it out. According to the official logline, the show occurs “a century before the events of “Game of Thrones,” [when] two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naĂŻve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. 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.”
I’ve been enjoying reading about this duo’s exploits; Dunk and Egg famously carry a good chunk of the charisma of the Seven Kingdoms on their shoulders, and according to Variety, fans have been wanting these guys in action for quite a long time. I hope the two live-action cast members have a good rapport, and I can’t wait to see how they translate to the screen. With Martin both as a writer and executive producer, it’s sure to be stellar. Considering casting calls are already out, we’ll hopefully hear more about AKOTSK’s development in early 2024. Are you excited to see the hedge knight and the prince? After reading, I gotta say Egg has the signature Targaryen sarcasm, so we’re in for a treat.
