Ian McShane is in GAME OF THRONES Season 6!!

I can’t even open this piece with something witty – I’m feelin’ too much hype.

Traditionally, Game of Thrones announces its casting for the next season at Comic-Con with a sizzle reel. The producers didn’t attend this year and it was much earlier than usual, therefore we didn’t get any casting – or anything on the interesting side, really. With filming having already begun many nerds were wondering when we would get casting news, but fret not – the wait is over!

Entertainment Weekly have revealed that actor Ian McShane (Deadwood, Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean) has hooked up with HBO again for a role in Season 6. They’re not saying who he’ll be playing, but they will say this…

Sources say McShane has a relatively small amount of screen-time during the season, yet his character is of key importance.

Hmm.

In my mind, McShane is playing Euron Greyjoy, the brother of Balon. We know that he will be appearing this year (after many fans were worried he’d be cut), but the initial casting call stated that his would be a “very good part this season”. McShane’s character is clearly of great importance but won’t have a lot of screen-time. While it’s still possible he could be playing Euron – he’s been fan-casted as him for years – I would prefer it if he didn’t just appear in one or two episodes when we’ve waited years for this guy to show up.

Fans are already starting to think who he could be playing besides the infamous pirate. There’s Randyll Tarly, father of Samwell, whom he would fit quite well. There’s Septon Meribald, a relatively minor character in A Feast for Crows but he appears to be showing up next season thanks to the initial casting call. However, this particular line jumped out at me.

The show’s tight-lipped production will not reveal any details about McShane’s character… despite that opening sentence, McShane’s character could theoretically appear in Westeros or Essos or somewhere in between.

Is that a hint or does it mean nothing?

I mean, of course the character is going to show up in either Westeros or Essos or “somewhere in between”. It’s the last part which is interesting because Euron is a guy who claims he’s sailed the entire planet, and D&D could work a little plot magic and not yet introduce him at the Iron Islands but rather have some characters meet him whilst he’s sailing there. Because of the nature of the character he could show up anywhere and it would make sense.

Or that sentence could mean nothing and I’m reading into it too much.

Point is, we have no idea who Ian McShane is playing yet, but he’s a very, very good actor, and Game of Thrones is incredibly lucky to have someone of his caliber. I hated Season 5 but even I have to admit that recent news has been looking more on the ‘up’ side of things; what with this and the news that the show will be going eight seasons rather than seven, could the future be bright?

Man, I really fucking hope so.