‘The Mad King’ Prequel to Bring the Fall of House Targaryen....

The Stage is Set: ‘The Mad King’ Prequel to Bring the Fall of House Targaryen to the Royal Shakespeare Company

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, U.K. — George R.R. Martin is taking his "Shakespearean" tragedies to their natural home. In a move that bridges the gap between prestige television and classical theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) officially announced Wednesday the world premiere of Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a direct prequel play sanctioned by Martin himself.

Set to debut this summer at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the production will chronicle the final, volatile years of King Aerys II Targaryen, whose descent into paranoia and fire-obsessed insanity sparked the rebellion that defined the modern era of Westeros.

A Fateful Tournament

Unlike the sprawling timelines of HBO’s House of the Dragon or A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the play focuses on a singular, catalytic event: the Tourney at Harrenhal.

Set 16 years before the events of the original Game of Thrones series, the story unfolds during the "Year of the False Spring," when the great houses of Westeros gathered for a lavish jousting tournament. It was here that Prince Rhaegar Targaryen famously passed over his own wife to name Lyanna Stark the "Queen of Love and Beauty," setting in motion the star-crossed romance and political betrayals that led to Robert’s Rebellion.

“The play is a prequel, taking place over a decade before the events of Game of Thrones,” said adaptor Duncan Macmillan and director Dominic Cooke in a joint statement. “A long winter has started to thaw and, for the first time in years, all the great houses come together... but tournaments always have a darker purpose.”

Icons of the Past

Fans of the franchise can expect to see younger, "pre-war" versions of some of the series' most legendary figures. While casting has not yet been announced, the RSC confirmed the play will feature:

• Aerys II Targaryen: The "Mad King" in his final, most dangerous state.

• Eddard "Ned" Stark & Robert Baratheon: Young men whose lives are about to be upended.

• Jaime Lannister: Seen during his fateful transition into the Kingsguard.

• The Daynes of Starfall: Including the legendary Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning.

The RSC: The "Obvious Choice"

For George R.R. Martin, who serves as an executive producer, the partnership with the RSC is a career milestone. Martin has long cited Shakespeare’s history plays, specifically those documenting the Wars of the Roses, as the primary inspiration for his work.

“For me, the RSC was the obvious choice when thinking about putting a Game of Thrones story on the stage,” Martin said. “Shakespeare is the greatest name in English literature, and his plays have been a constant source of inspiration to me... it will be thrilling to watch these events unfold in a live environment.”

The Expanding Multiverse

The announcement of The Mad King rounds out a massive year for the franchise. With the play premiering this summer, 2026 now features three distinct eras of Westerosi history running simultaneously:

1. The Conquest Era: Aegon’s Conquest is currently in active development at HBO with writer Mattson Tomlin.

2. The "Dunk & Egg" Era: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently airing its first season.

3. The Rebellion Era: The Mad King stage play.

Priority booking for the world premiere at Stratford-upon-Avon opens on 14th April 2026, with a general public sale to follow later that month. For fans who have spent years pieceing together the "Mad King’s" final days through snippets of dialogue and brief flashbacks, the stage is finally set to witness the burning of the dynasty firsthand.