We’re still a few weeks out from the season finale of season four of Game of Thrones, but the series’ creators are already well into the creation of season five — and that includes casting new characters. Yeah — if you hadn’t figured it out by now, the world of Westeros will continue to expand in its next season. In fact, the show has been scouting locations in Spain to use for the setting of Dorne. Which means, yes: we’re going to meet those myriad Martells and even a few of Oberyn Martell’s bastard daughters, the oft-mentioned Sand Snakes.
The folks over at WinterIsComing.net reported (via an unofficial source) that these are just some of the new characters D.B. Weiss and David Benioff are currently writing for and casting:
Prince Doran Martell
“Doran is described as the major new player this year, appearing in multiple episodes. The fiftysomething prince uses a wheelchair, is reclusive and rules wisely. It appears the show is looking to continue the trend it started with Pedro Pascal, and cast Latino actors for the Martell clan.”
Prince Trystane Martell
“Trystane, the handsome fiance of Princess Myrcella, is being aged up to 18.”
Areo Hotah
“Doran’s personal bodyguard will appear throughout the season, assisting the prince with his duties. The show is particularly looking for a black actor to fill the role.”
Obara Sand
“The eldest and most athletic Sand Snake will be having a major fight scene with a series regular character — not one who crosses her path in the books. This is an interesting change.”
Nymeria Sand
“Nymeria is described as ‘mixed race,’ with her father being the fairer (Oberyn) and her mother being darker skinned. The second oldest of these Sand Snakes, she’s beautiful, emotional and very strong.”
Tyene Sand
“The youngest of the Sand Snakes that we meet uses her wits and seductive powers and is less of a physical fighter than the other Sand Snakes. She is just as deadly as her sisters, however, but her weapon is poison.”
High Sparrow
“The books’ pious head of a religious movement will be appearing in several episodes in season 5.”
Septa Unella
“The show is looking for a character actress to play the imposing and unrelenting septa who spends a lot of time with a major series character next year.”
Maggy the Frog
“A fortune teller in A Feast for Crows, she’ll be in one episode next year.”
Lollys Stokeworth
“In ‘Mockingbird,’ Bronn announced his intention to marry Lollys, whom Tyrion considers ‘dimwitted.’ It looks like the sellsword will still be around next year.”
Yezzan
“A sleazy Meereenese slave owner.”
The Waif
“The strange child from the books that Arya encounters will likely be played by an older actress, one in her later teens, and we understand the show is specifically looking for a woman of East Asian descent for the part.”
So what do you think this means for season five? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments!
Sand Snakes!
Books four and five sucked especially five. Martin doesn’t want to finish the series and keeps putting out other work. Hbo has done a fantastic job and has brought several wooden characters in the book to life
Couldn’t agree less. While Book 4 was kind of a bore (hello Brienne’s chapters!) I think Book 5 was a nice return to form, if not on par with Book 3. The beginning was a bit long winded because there’s some stuff that already happend in 4 told from another character’s point of view, and a lot of description of new places (something I personnally enjoy a lot) but the second half was as good as anything GRRM has written. The “pink letter” chapter might be the most shocking chapter since the Red Wedding for me.
So… No Iron-Island expansion? Hope they don’t just cut out that whole story-line.
This is getting me so excited for next year! Games of Thrones season is my favorite season! I dont mind them changing it up! (As long as its not “True Blood” kind of changing it up….thats just ridiculous.)
I’m running with the assumption that Alan Ball stopped reading the books after he was done with the witch storyline, and decided that he could do better than the author.
No mention of Arianne Martell? She’s the one I’m most looking forward to… err, *seeing*… 😉
They’re gonna fuck up the books!!!!
You can’t fuck up the books, they are already written! They will fuck up the tv series!
Like most series that are based on books, they have to change it up a little to prevent too many spoilers. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Alan Ball started out on the right path with True Blood, but the last couple of train wreck seasons have left me preferring the books. I haven’t read the Walking Dead books, but from what I hear, the producers are doing an excellent job of sticking to them while still bring readers and non-readers alike back for more. I haven’t read any of the GoT books, though people keep telling me I should, because it serves as a perfect companion to the show. Everyone’s got their own opinion, of course.
Have you seen “The Walking Dead”? They COMPLETELY changed nearly everything from the books, and it is still a great show that follows the same plot. You just need to realize that the books are great when you view them in your mind because of the complexity, but simplifying them for the TV screen is a difficult task,