Why Is 'Game of Thrones' Season 4 Casting Continuing To Change Before Premiere? The Mountain, Daario Naharis, Tommen Baratheon, Replaced Ahead Of Air Date
"Game of Thrones" season 4 just announced another casting change, this time for the character The Mountain. This makes the third re-cast for season 4 of "Game of Thrones," which includes the characters Daario Naharis and Tommen Baratheon. So why all the changes to casting?
According to ScreenCrush.com, "Game of Thrones" has a habit of recasting less prominent characters when their roles expand in the series and storyline. For example, David Michael Scott briefly portrayed the role of Beric Dondarrion in season 1, before Richard Dormer assumed the expanded role in season 3.
The media speculated this was the reasoning for recasting the role of Tommen Baratheon with an older actor, Dean-Charles Chapman, assuming that he would be more capable of shouldering the part than the original young actor Callum Wharry. Perhaps we will not know where the producers will take his role until the premiere date next spring.
In the latest casting news, Icelandic actor Hafthor Julius Bjornsson has been cast as Gregor Clegane, or The Mountain, in the upcoming season of "Game of Thrones," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Bjornsson will be the third person to play The Mountain, brother of Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann). Conan Stevens played the part for two episodes in season one, while Ian Whyte took up the mantle in season 2, the website notes.
Bjornsson made the announcement of his new role in "Game of Thrones" season 4 via Twitter Monday, writing: "For all my fans! I am happy to tell you that I will be THE MOUNTAIN In season 4 In Game Of Thrones :)"
Last week, HBO announced that "Treme" actor Michiel Huisman was joining the cast, and would replace Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis, the love interest of Daenerys Targaryen.
Meanwhile, about 300 cast and crew members from "Game of Thrones" spent two weeks at Iceland's Thingvellir National Park, shooting for the upcoming fourth season, Icenews.is reports.
"Game of Thrones" season 4 will premiere next spring, though an air date has not yet been confirmed.