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I bet you the Stranger Things: The First Shadow people are feeling a little nervous today. 

Another mega-hit TV show is headed to the stage for a prequel storyline, but this time, it's not a Netflix project we're dealing with. No, this summer's theater buzz belongs to HBO, or rather, to George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones, as a brand new stageplay called The Mad King has been announced for The Royal Shakespeare Theatre's upcoming season.

Game of Thrones: The Mad King is written by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, but adapts events that took place canonically within Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Specifically, the play is set to take place around a decade before the events of the story adapted into Game of Thrones season 1.

"A long winter thaws in Harrenhal," reads the official synopsis from RST, "And spring is promised. At a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revellers speculate about who will contend. But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the blood-thirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot. Far away, the drums of battle sound. Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and the sacred line of succession will be tested in a dangerous campaign for power. Who will survive? Who will rise?"

Don't let the jousting of it all fool you - though its got some similarities to the plot of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it's going to be a very different story... and that story is going to have some familiar faces. As Game of Thrones experts probably already know by now, the plot described above is Robert's Rebellion, a Westerosi event that transpires in opposition to the play's titular Mad King, Aerys Targeyn II. Aerys, of course, is the father of Daenerys Targaryen, but some other well-known names matter to this story as well - Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, Jamie Lannister and more all have something to do with the rebellion, and we wouldn't be surprised to see them on stage.

"When I first wrote Game of Thrones," said creator Martin in a statement released with the announcement, "I never imagined that it would be anything other than a book. [...] For my work to now be adapted for the stage is something I did not expect but welcome with great enthusiasm and excitement. Theatre offers something unique. A place for mine and the audience’s imagination to meet and hopefully create something magical."

And if you're thinking about how fitting it is that Martin's very Shakespearean works should be put on at the most famous stage to bear his name, well, you're not alone.

"George’s storytelling is Shakespearean in its scale and its themes - dynastic struggle, ambition, rebellion, madness, prophecy, ill-fated love," say writers Macmillan and Cooke in a joint statement, "From the beginning, Shakespeare’s histories and tragedies have been our primary reference for the ambition of this production, so the RSC feels like a natural home. It will be thrilling for us to share this new play with audiences, both those that know and love George’s books and HBO’s series, but also audiences who know nothing and want to come and experience something both beautifully intimate and truly epic."

Your move, Hawkins.

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre will put on Game of Thrones: The Mad King in the summer of 2026, but the exact opening night date (or info on buying tickets) has yet to be announced. Keep an eye on Popverse for that news, Westerosi reader, and in the meantime, the Game of Thrones televised universe can be found on HBO Max.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has brought Westeros back to HBO Max, and Popverse has got more Game of Thrones articles than could fit on a spiky chair. We've got everything you need to dive into the series, including:

• Popverse's Game of Thrones watch order 
• How to read George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series in order 
• The biggest differences between The House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones
• The history of Westeros's greatest houses & families
• Every single dragon in The House of the Dragon so far

Plus much more coming as it gets announced!