The 'Game of Thunder' prequel that doesn't resemble the original series (thankfully)

BarcelonaThe franchise of Thunder GamesOne of the most popular series in HBO Max history is expanding: after The House of the DragonQuite similar to the original series in tone, the platform is now premiering The Knight of the Seven KingdomsA proposal that departs considerably from the grandiosity and epic scope of the first title. The new series is simpler, smaller, and has a charming quality. It also has moments of humor, sometimes basic, sometimes scatological. However, there are no dragons. In short, it's a classic adventure story starring a knight and his squire, both with unorthodox origins considering their occupations. The series, which consists of six episodes lasting between 30 and 40 minutes, premieres this Monday on HBO Max.

The new series adapts three novellas by George R.R. Martin, which are grouped under the heading ofThe Tales of Dunk and EggDunk (Peter Claffey) is a tall, strapping young man with a touch of innocence who has spent much of his life as the squire of Sir Arlan de Pennytree, a hedge knight. When Arlan dies, Dunk embarks on a new path, adopting his former master's shield as his own to be considered a knight himself, becoming Sir Duncan the Tall. On his journey to some tournaments, he meets a boy, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), who stands out because of his shaved head. The boy, who demonstrates a great knowledge of chivalry, offers to serve as Dunk's squire. From the beginning, it is clear that the peculiar-looking child does not come from a humble background. The story is set a century before the events of [the original text]. Game of Thunder

As George RR Martin explained in an HBO Max podcast, the story ofThe Knight of the Seven Kingdoms It stems from his desire to focus more on the people and less on the noble families of the universe of Game of Thunder“I wanted to tell a story that focused, in a way, on the common folk, as I call them, the people who weren’t lords, who weren’t competing, and who didn’t even have a chance of sitting on the Iron Throne unless the entire rest of the population of Westeros died,” the writer explains. The new series also allows him to explore the figure of the knights, whom he defines as “killing machines.” “They were soldiers in the service of their masters,” he recalls. While it’s true that the new series places more emphasis on the common people, some of the saga’s most well-known families are also represented, such as Targaryen and Baratheon.

High expectations

To take the helm of a series in the franchise of Game of Thunder This puts a lot of pressure on us, as Peter Claffey acknowledged during the premiere which took place in Berlin. "I was a huge fan of the original series. I loved it, and I know how passionate its fans are. So I had to fight nerves and anxiety for a while. When I started acting, I knew a project like this would be a dream come true, but when it came along, it was difficult to adjust to it all. I knew I wanted to do a fair amount of emotions," Claffey explained to the Associated Press. However, the Irish actor says the best thing about the series is that the first season is an "exact copy" of the first novella starring Dunk and Egg. The Knight ErrantThus, the second installment, which has already been confirmed, will be based on the second novel. The Royal Sword

As for young Dexter Sol Ansell, only 11 years old, he didn't feel as much pressure as his co-star because, as he explained, he was unaware of the existence of Game of ThunderDue to his age, the actor, who had to shave his head to film the series, will not be able to watch the entire show he's in until he turns 14, according to his parents.

One of the consequences of the popularity of Game of Thunder It was the increase in tourism in the cities and areas used as filming locations. Although the degree of success of the new television venture remains to be seen, its settings will certainly serve as an attraction for viewers. The series was filmed primarily in Northern Ireland, which also hosted the filming of some storylines for [the series]. Game of Thunder (In fact, it's the territory with the most locations for the series). In the case ofThe Knight of the Seven Kingdoms The chosen location is Tollymore Forest Park, which is transformed into the Crown Lands and already appeared in Thunder Games such as the enchanted forest of Westeros, the castle of Myra, and the castle of Glenarm.