The Stag Inn: Paris Steps Into Westeros for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

As someone who has spent years chasing film experiences that blur the line between screen and reality, it is rare to encounter an atmosphere as tangible as the one created inside Paris’ Caves Saint-Sabin. For a single evening, the underground venue became The Stag Inn, a medieval tavern seemingly lifted from the world of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Stone walls, candlelight, and the murmur of lutes welcomed guests into a fully realized Westeros-inspired refuge. The experience unfolded as both a banquet and a storytelling showcase, proving that immersive world-building can extend far beyond the screen. A lively conference hosted by Rivenzi anchored the evening, drawing fans deeper into the lore of the Seven Kingdoms.

Adding another narrative layer, Michelin-starred chef Matthieu Dupuis Baumal unveiled a bespoke cocktail menu designed specifically for the event. Each drink felt carefully considered, reinforcing the idea that gastronomy, like cinema, can tell its own story. A group of live musicians completed the transformation, guiding visitors back through centuries with period instruments and traditional melodies.

The evening served as a thematic prelude to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, created by Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin and adapted from the novellas Tales of Dunk and Egg. Set nearly a century before Game of Thrones, the series follows Ser Duncan the Tall, played by Peter Claffey, and his young squire Aegon Targaryen, known as Egg, portrayed by Dexter Sol Ansell.

Surrounding them is a cast that includes Finn Bennett, Bertie Carvel, Tanzyn Crawford, Daniel Ings, and Sam Spruell, alongside Edward Ashley, Henry Ashton, Youssef Kerkour, Daniel Monks, Shaun Thomas, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Danny Webb, Ross Anderson, and Steve Wall. The ensemble signals HBO’s ambition to tell a more intimate, character-driven story within the familiar Westeros framework.

The series was ordered in 2023, with George R. R. Martin overseeing production alongside executive producers Ira Parker, Ryan Condal, Vince Gerardis, Owen Harris, and Sarah Bradshaw. Filmed in Belfast between June and September 2024, the six-episode first season was directed by Owen Harris and Sarah Adina Smith, with composer Dan Romer crafting a score that favors emotional resonance over spectacle.

A second season, confirmed in November 2025, reflects HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery’s confidence in the series’ ability to stand alongside its monumental predecessors while offering a more grounded, human-scaled narrative.

When A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres on January 18, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max, audiences will discover a story where loyalty, friendship, and honor outweigh crowns and conquests. For one night in Paris, The Stag Inn offered a rare glimpse of that world made real — a reminder that Westeros can exist beyond the screen, if only for a moment.