Published Feb 19, 2026, 1:01 PM EST
TJ Mills is an editor on ScreenRant's Comic team, where she combines her lifelong passion for DC with her analytical background as a former Intelligence Analyst. Since joining ScreenRant in 2023, she has specialized in covering major DC storylines, character evolutions, and industry developments.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is arguably the best Game of Thrones installment yet, but there is one prequel story fans have been begging to see for years: Robert’s Rebellion and the fall of the Mad King. Now, in 2026, it looks like that wish is finally about to be granted.
News has officially broken that a new Game of Thrones prequel is in the works. Titled Game of Thrones: The Mad King, this brand-new stage play has been announced as part of The Royal Shakespeare Theatre's upcoming season.
The play will serve as a prequel to the events of the HBO series, depicting the story George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire refers to as Robert’s Rebellion, the uprising that led to the slaying of Aerys II Targaryen and Robert Baratheon taking the Iron Throne.
Game of Thrones: The Mad King Brings Robert’s Rebellion to Life on Stage
Iconic Characters, Deadly Secrets, and the Blood-Thirsty Mad King Take Center Stage
Game of Thrones: The Mad King will be written by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke, adapting events that take place roughly a decade before the start of Game of Thrones season 1. Fans can find The Royal Shakespeare Theatre's official synopsis for the stage play below:
"A long winter thaws in Harrenhal. 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?"
As expected, fans will see some familiar names return, including Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, the Kingslayer himself Jaime Lannister, and more. Daenerys Targaryen’s father, the Mad King, will also, of course, be a lead role. This is monumental news for GoT fans, finally bringing one of the most requested missing chapters in the franchise’s storytelling to life.
The Biggest Missing Chapter in Game of Thrones Comes to Life on Stage in 2026
We Love A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, But We've Been Waiting Years for Robert’s Rebellion
The Game of Thrones franchise is one of the most expansive in fantasy, with George R.R. Martin’s brilliant mind creating a universe that feels steeped in thousands of years of history. While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has proven to be an exceptional prequel adaptation, there is no denying that Robert’s Rebellion is the chapter fans have been begging to see for years.
Granted, most would likely prefer a TV adaptation of Robert’s Rebellion, following the successful adaptation format the GoT franchise has mastered with three series. However, a stage play will undoubtedly offer something fresh, and its potential success could even convince HBO showrunners to develop a TV series or bring it to the big screen.
One thing is certain: Robert’s Rebellion is the biggest missing chapter in the GoT franchise, even more anticipated than A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Seeing it finally adapted is long overdue, and even better, fans won’t have to wait years for this newest Game of Thrones installment, with the play set for release in the summer of 2026.
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre will put on Game of Thrones: The Mad King in the summer of 2026; further details to come!
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