With the Game of Thrones season 5 finale leaving a sour taste in all of our mouths, fans around the globe have been left with a lot of unanswered questions. Is Jon Snow really dead? Will Cersei get her revenge? Will Jorah and Daario find their lost love?
With George R.R. Martin not having finished The Winds of Winter just yet, fans are only left to make their own predictions about Game of Thrones season 6 (which Nerd Much will get to in the coming weeks as well). But we’re already seeing Game of Thrones season 6 casting news and other spoilers that might allude to what’s going to happen in HBO’s biggest show ever.
Pre-production and casting calls have already begun, with shooting beginning as early as July.
Here is everything we know about Season 6 so far, including the Season 6 cast, news, leaks and rumors, and we’ll keep our readers updated as more news comes onto our radar:
1Jon Snow Death Update
HBO has come out and said that Jon Snow “is dead as dead.” Of course, who knows what the hell that really means in a world filled with magic spells. Read More…
2Game of Thrones Season 6 Cast News
**Updated 3/5/16**
Ian McShane has accidentally dropped a few hints about who he’s playing in the series. He will apparently be playing the role of “The Elder Brother”, a peaceful cult leader who could be related (in story, not by blood) to Sandor Clegane. [Read more via SlashFilm]
**Updated 9/8/2015**
HBO has added Doctor Who alum Richard E. Grant to the cast of Game of Thrones in an unspecified role. Read More…
Harry Potter actor Freddie Stroma has also been added to the cast. Read More…
**Updated 9/2/2015**
More Game of Thrones season 6 news as HBO has found their Euron Grayjoy in Danish actor Pilou Asbæk. Read more…
**Updated 8/10/2015**
We’ve learned that there will be a Ned Stark flashback, and the young Ned Stark will be played by Sebastian Croft.
**Updated 8/04/2015**
Max von Sydow has been added to the Season 6 cast in a recast role. Read more…
**Updated 8/03/15**
A new casting call has gone out for a ‘hapless, sly son to a cruel father.’ Is it a Frey boy? Read More…
**Updated 8/01/15**
Actor Ian McShane (you’ll recognize him when you see him) has joined the cast of Season 6 in an unspecified role. We think he will play the role of Samwell’s father, Randyll, but we will keep you posted as we learn more. Read More…
**Updated 7/23/15**
Actor Ricky Champ has been cast as Flynn (description below). He will appear in two episodes in the upcoming season. [Via WotW]
**Updated 7/13/2015**
The actor who plays Bran Stark has confirmed that Bran will make his return in Season 6 after being absent from Season 5. Read more…
**Updated 7/2/2015**
Just a week after the remarkably well done season 5 finale, the internet already was able to find some news about the Game of Thrones Season 6 cast. According to Watchers on the Wall, there are over 16 vacant roles that HBO is searching to fill for the upcoming season.
Actor Sam Coleman Cast
We learned today that actor Sam Coleman has been added to the Game of Thrones Season 6 cast in an unspecified role. Judging by the look of him, we’re thinking he’s going to be used for a Samwell Tarly flashback at some point during the upcoming season. Read more here.
Actor Eddie Jackson Cast
Although we don’t know for what role, Irish actor Eddie Jackson has been added to the Season 6 cast. According to his management, Jackson will be in Belfast this week and will shoot in Spain in October. Read more…
Kinvara
Kinvara is said to be a red priestess — the High Priestess of the Red Temple of Volantis — who visits Tyrion Lannister and Varys in Meeren, according to The Independent. A clip of an audition video appeared on line with British actress Tehmina Sunny playing the part, but has been taken down.
Euron Greyjoy
Theon’s uncle Euron is set to make an appearance in Season 6. He’s a pirate in his 40s-50s who has terrorized seas all around the world. He’s cunning and ruthless with a touch of madness. Of course, the casting description didn’t actually list Euron Greyjoy as the name, but we can’t imagine any other pirates being mentioned.
Qhogo and Akrat
HBO is apparently seeking non-white/mixed ethnicity actors to fill the roles of the successful young warriors, describing them as tall, confident and having linguistic bravado.
Bower
Bower is described as a powerless servant that is numb to the horror he serves. He’s expected to have a Northern or Midland English accent, appearing in one episode.
Lachlan, Flynn and Japeth
Lachlan is a big leader of a group of renegades who have turned on the land that they swore to protect. He will lead the efforts to extort the poor and vulnerable, and only appears in 2 episodes of Game of Thrones season 6. Flynn (which we now know will be played by actor Ricky Champ) is also seemingly a member of an outlaw band that is using religion to justify terrorizing and extorting the people of the countryside. He also appears in 2 episodes of the upcoming season, so let’s assume he’s a part of Lachlan’s group of renegades. Finally, Japeth appears to be a third member of this band, and is described as having a strong physical presence. He’s probably the muscle of the group.
Legendary Fighter
Game of Thrones showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff are also looking for a man in his late thirties or forties who is a great swordsman and a paragon of knighthood. What’s most interesting about this character — who is yet to have his name publicly known, unfortunately — is that he carries a “hugely famous sword” on his back. He will be a part of fight scenes for a Game of Thrones Season 6 role.
Lord of Noble Northern House
Another new Game of Thrones character for season 6 is a savage warrior that rules a distinguished house on the vary far North. The age for this lord is said to be somewhere between 25-50, and it sounds like it’s one of the more important new roles for Season 6. His character description includes the fact that he’s a “bear of a man” with a beard and temper to match, with a deep running hatred and affinity towards violence. Awesome. The showrunners are looking for someone with a powerful physique who can “tower over other cast members.” He will have a Northern English Accent and has to be at least 6 feet tall. He will appear on 2 Game of Thrones Season 6 episodes.
Lord of Northern Stronghold
This character will be in his late 30s or 40s and will be a ruthless, calculating and frighetning lord. He rules over a vassal household and lives in a castle stronghold, and will appear in 3 episodes for the upcoming season.
Randyll Tarly?
Although Randyll Tarly was not actually named, one of the casting calls noted that they’re looking for a father in his 50s-60s who was one of the greatest soldiers in Westeros. He’s a humorless martinet, severe and intimidating, demanding martial discipline in the field and at home. He’s apparently going to be a significant part of Season 6, noting that he’s “centrally involved” in a protagonist’s storyline. Pair this description with the fact that Stannis Baratheon mentioned Randyll in his conversation with Sam in Season 5, it looks like Samwell Tarly and Gilly will be meeting daddy, dearest.
It also looks as though Sam’s mother, sister and brother are all being added to the Game of Thrones Season 6 cast, which you can read more about here.
Seemingly Less Important Additions to the Season 6 Cast
The show is looking for a hunter that will appear in an action scene with the main cast in one episode, as well as a submissive maester in his 20s that is a decent man but has trouble standing up to others for one episode. They’re also looking for a green recruit that will have one line, 3 sympathisers whom are rough military types, and a father who is tough, old and an alpha male type. The father will have a Northern English accent, and appears in one episode with just two lines. Originally, we thought it might be Randyll Tarly (Sam’s dad), but with just two lines, that seems unlikely.
3Leaked Kinvara Scene
The leaked audition video mentioned above was transcribed by WoTW before being taken down. You can read the full dialogue on their site, but judging from the dialogue, it appears as though Tyrion actually summoned her to Meereen. And it sounds as though Kinvara is pleased to oblige.
4Featurette
5Shooting Locations
HBO has chosen numerous locations in Spain for shooting Season 6, including Girona, Peniscola, the Bardenas badlands in Navarre, the castles of Santa Florentina and Zafra, and Almeria’s Alcazaba.
The Castillo Santa Florentina is a homely abode first built in the 11th century. The second castle, the Castillo de Zafra in Guadalajara, is a massive seemingly impregnable fortress. You can read more about the locations via Variety.
6Other Confirmed Season 6 News
HBO isn’t sending press any season 6 episodes, due to the mega leak last year. Smart move by HBO. [Read more at EW]
Yohn Royce was confirmed for a return by actor Rupert Vansittart. So it appears as though we haven’t seen the last of the Vale. Read more.
It was also revealed that some of Game of Thrones Season 6 will shoot in Spain, according to Deadline.
7Game of Thrones Season 6 Air Date
The Game of Thrones Season 6 premiere date is set for April 24 at 9PM EST on HBO. [via EW]
8Directors
The Game of Thrones Season 6 directors have been revealed, and includes Daniel Sackheim, Jack Bender, Mark Mylod and Miguel Sapochnik (high five). You can read more about which episodes they’re directing here.
9Rumors
Of course, the following are all just rumors and speculation, so take this section with a grain of salt. Still, if you’re looking for some juicy Game of Thrones season 6 rumors, we’ve got you covered.
Lady Stoneheart
Although a Game of Thrones director has noted why they weren’t doing a Lady Stoneheart in the past, it’s looking more and more possible that Weiss and Benioff could bring about Lady Stoneheart for season 6. Here’s an interesting note from an interview with Benioff for Entertainment Weekly:
“Sometimes we’re going in a different order or telling a different story. We think the story will all make sense at the end. Otherwise it will be eight wasted years.”
Of course, actress Michelle Fairley has been quite busy since her time on Game of Thrones, with Resurrection (fittingly enough), The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, and will have appearances in a couple of movies coming later this year (In the Heart of the Sea and a TV movie named Finn in the Forest. But as far as 2016 is concerned, it doesn’t appear as though Lady Stoneheart Michelle Fairley has anything planned.
10Game of Thrones Season 6 Trailers
Plenty more Game of Thrones Season 6 news to come as the team gets into full gear in preparation for the upcoming Season 6 premiere.
You can now check out everything we know about Game of Thrones Season 7 and Follow us on Twitter and give us virtual high fives on Facebook to stay up to date with all things nerd.
