The saga of Dunk and Egg may look stripped‑down on screen, but behind the scenes, Egg is proving to be the priciest part of the production. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner, Ira Parker, revealed in an interview with IGN that child actor Dexter Sol Ansell has become Season 2’s “most expensive asset,” thanks to the strict filming limits that come with working with minors. Despite the budget staying the same as Season 1, inflation and a two‑country shoot have made the second season trickier than expected — and Egg’s expanded role only adds to the challenge.
Quick read
- Season 2 budget stayed the same as Season 1.
- Inflation means less money in real terms.
- Production now spans two countries.
Parker on Season 2’s budget squeeze
Parker explained that while the budget technically hasn’t changed from Season 1, inflation has reduced its real value. On top of that, Season 2 requires filming across two countries, which adds “dead money” to the production. The biggest surprise, however, is Egg. With Dexter Sol Ansell’s role expanding, the restrictions on child actor hours mean the crew can’t shoot full days whenever he’s involved. That limitation makes Egg unexpectedly costly, turning the young squire into the production’s most expensive asset.
Parker revealed: “Look, it’s tricky because the money for Season 2 stayed the same as Season 1, which really with inflation, means you have less. And then we’re also a two country shoot now, which, there’s a lot of dead money there. We also have, I would say, probably a lot more Egg. And he’s actually probably our most expensive asset, because whenever we use him, you can’t shoot a full day because of the child hours.”
Ira Parker on HBO’s Official Game of Thrones Podcast (Credit: HBO)
Why Egg makes Season 2 trickier
Parker admitted that when he first thought about adapting The Sworn Sword, he imagined a smaller, contained season that would cost less than Season 1. Instead, the realities of inflation, location changes, and Egg’s expanded role have made Season 2 more complicated. The irony, Parker noted, is that the very elements meant to keep the show grounded — fewer dragons, more character‑driven storytelling — have created unexpected expenses.
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Parker added: “And so it’s funny, the things that cost you more money, because you’re right. When I first thought about ‘The Sworn Sword,’ I thought, ‘Oh, this’ll be great. We can actually do a Season 2, very small and contained and for a little amount of money.’ But it’s actually been, in a lot of ways, trickier than Season 1, and I never thought I’d be sitting here saying that.”
