Naman Shrestha
An adaptation of the ‘Tales of Dunk and Egg’ novellas written by George R. R. Martin, HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ is a fantasy period drama series that serves as a prequel to ‘Game of Thrones‘ and the third TV show in the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ franchise. Set about a century before the events of ‘Game of Thrones,’ the Ira Parker and Martin creation follows the journeys of a young yet courageous knight named Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Aegon Targaryen AKA Egg, across the terrains of Westeros, with the Targaryens at the Iron Throne and the memories of fire-breathing dragons still fresh.
The two become unlikely heroes as they encounter competition from several members of the Targaryen dynasty, including Prince Maekar Targaryen, Prince Aerion Targaryen, and Prince Baelor Targaryen. Other than them, Ser Duncan and Egg also face off against the Laughing Storm, Ser Lyonel Baratheon, and a puppeteer named Tanselle. Starring Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall, and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg, the action-adventure drama show unfolds in the fictional land of Westeros, which becomes the battleground for the two friends against the Targaryens.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Filming Locations
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ is filmed primarily in Ireland, particularly in County Down and County Antrim. A minor portion is also shot in London, England. According to reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the spin-off series got underway in June 2024 and wrapped up after three months in September of the same year. Given the presence of castles and hills across Ireland, it served as an apt filming destination for the HBO show.
County Down, Ireland
A significant chunk of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ was reportedly lensed across County Down, situated in the province of Ulster. Myra Castle, located near the small village of Strangford, and its surrounding areas, was turned into a film set for various important scenes. The filming unit also set up camp in the city of Newry, where they recorded pivotal sequences at a Leitrim lodge and near the Hen Mountain. Various exterior scenes were also reportedly filmed in and around Tollymore Forest Park on Bryansford Road near the town of Newcastle. Mourne Mountains, a granite mountain range, also make an appearance in the backdrop of numerous portions.
County Antrim, Ireland
County Antrim also served as a prominent production location for ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ In Belfast, the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, the cast and crew members set up camp at Titanic Studios on Queens Road. Described as one of Europe’s largest film studios, it consists of a combined set area of 106,000 square feet, which includes two main sound stages and four Paint Hall Studio Cells. The film studio is also home to ten workshop buildings, a backlot area, private parking, and other amenities necessary to bring all kinds of narratives to life.
Interestingly, it also served as the go-to film studio for all the seasons of ‘Game of Thrones,’ making it a natural choice for the makers of its spin-off. The rugged hillside area of Cave Hill Country Park on Antrim Road in Belfast and the Glenarm Castle at 2 Castle Lane in the town of Ballymena also hosted the production of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ According to reports, shooting for the fantasy drama series also took place in and around the Hidden Village of Galboly, situated in the hills along the east Antrim coast road near Ballymena.
London, England
According to reports, additional portions for ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ were recorded in the capital of England and the United Kingdom — London. It is likely that the production team utilized the facilities of one of the film studios in and around London. Besides the ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off, the capital has served as a shooting destination for various movies and TV shows, including ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,’ ‘Wicked,’ ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,’ ‘The Sandman,’ ‘Loki,’ and ‘His Dark Materials.’
Read More: House of the Dragon Season 1: Where Was the TV Show Filmed?
