Forget dragons and epic battles for a moment. George R.R. Martin, the mastermind behind Game of Thrones, has issued a challenge for the ages, and it all boils down to one thing: jousting. But not just any jousting. He wants the upcoming Knight of the Seven Kingdoms series to feature the best on-screen jousting ever seen in the last 70 years. That's a bold claim, right?
Now, you might know Martin from his beloved books (that everyone's impatiently waiting for him to finish!) and perhaps his occasional, shall we say, spirited opinions on the adaptations of his work. He's been known to express his frustrations, from adaptations that stray too far from his vision to constant questions about The Winds of Winter. But one thing is undeniably clear: he has a deep affection for his Dunk & Egg novellas. And within those stories, jousting holds a special place.
So, what's the big deal about jousting? Well, during New York Comic Con, Martin revealed the specific gauntlet he threw down to Ira Parker, the showrunner for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which adapts the first Dunk & Egg story, The Hedge Knight. It wasn't about slavishly adhering to every single detail of the book. Instead, it was about surpassing a cinematic benchmark: the jousting sequences in the 1952 film Ivanhoe.
Ivanhoe, a classic historical adventure, centers on Wilfred of Ivanhoe's quest to restore Richard the Lionheart to the throne. But a significant portion of the film revolves around a grand jousting tournament designed to unite England behind Prince John.
"I set [the production team] a challenge, which I think Ira and his people have delivered. I said, 'Let's do the best jousting sequences that have been ever put on film,'" Martin stated. "A modest little challenge for Ira and his crew."
He elaborated, "I think my favorite previous was 1952's Ivanhoe. They don't have much jousting sequences, but what they have are really good. So that's the standard. You guys will judge how we did, but I think we did really well."
And this is the part most people miss: Martin's obsession with tournaments isn't new. They've been a recurring element in his writing, but often relegated to the background. Hedge Knight was specifically designed to put a tournament front and center. "I've always loved medieval tournaments in other pictures, and of course, we had several tournaments in Game of Thrones," Martin explained. "But they were in the background, they were not the center. But I said… 'I want to do something that's entirely set during a tournament,' because I found tournaments were very exciting." He wanted to delve into the intricacies, the drama, and the sheer spectacle of these events.
But here's where it gets controversial... Can the might of HBO, with its Game of Thrones resources, truly surpass a 73-year-old movie in such a specific area? It's a David versus Goliath scenario, but with lances and armor. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres on HBO and HBO Max on January 18th, and that's when we'll get to see if they succeeded. Some might argue that modern technology and stunt work give the new series an unfair advantage. Others might say that Ivanhoe's classic charm and practical effects are unbeatable. What do you think? Will they succeed?
What aspects of medieval tournaments do you find most captivating? Do you think Martin's focus on jousting is a worthwhile endeavor, or should the series prioritize other elements of the Dunk & Egg stories? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
