At a Glance
- George R.R. Martin says more Dunk and Egg tales are possible
- Only three novellas exist; HBO’s new show starts January 18
- Season two already greenlit, third season would exhaust source material
- Why it matters: Fans want both new stories and The Winds of Winter
George R.R. Martin has hinted he may write additional Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, even as the television adaptation A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms prepares to debut on HBO.
New Show, Old Stories
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres January 18 and adapts Martin’s three existing novellas about the tall knight Dunk and his diminutive squire, Egg. The first season covers The Hedge Knight, while the already-ordered second season is expected to adapt The Sworn Sword.
| Season | Source Material | Status |
|---|---|---|
| One | The Hedge Knight | Premieres Jan 18 |
| Two | The Sworn Sword | Greenlit |
| Three | The Mystery Knight | Not yet ordered |
| Four | Unknown | No source exists |
Martin’s Podcast Comments
During the official A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms podcast (via CBR), Martin addressed the possibility of more stories:
“There are more stories to tell about Dunk and Egg and their education and what’s going to befall them in future years,” he said, adding that he would “need to find the time to write them.”
This marks the latest instance where Martin has acknowledged both fan interest and his own desire to expand the novella series.
Source Material Exhaustion Risk
Should HBO proceed with a third season adapting the final published novella, The Mystery Knight, the network would face the same predicament that befell Game of Thrones when it outpaced Martin’s novels. The main series concluded in 2019, two books short of the planned seven, forcing showrunners to craft original plotlines that proved divisive among viewers.
The Dunk and Egg stories differ tonally from the court intrigue of A Song of Ice and Fire, offering small-scale adventures that explore Westeros from the perspective of traveling hedge knights rather than nobility.
Fan Expectations and The Winds of Winter
While readers have praised the novellas for their charm and accessibility, many fans continue to prioritize completion of The Winds of Winter, the long-delayed sixth volume in the main series. Martin has worked on that novel for well over a decade, leading to recurring skepticism whenever he discusses other projects.
Key Takeaways
- HBO’s new series launches January 18, adapting the first of three existing novellas
- Martin says additional Dunk and Egg stories are possible but requires time to write them
- A potential fourth TV season would lack source material unless new novellas appear
- The situation mirrors the source-material gap that preceded Game of Thrones‘ final seasons
