HBO Releases 23 Game of Thrones Portraits from Season 3

[Greg Tito]

HBO Releases 23 Game of Thrones Portraits from Season 3

See nearly every character displayed in costume in a scene from the upcoming season.

Fresh off a reread of Martin's series of books, I'm getting extremely pumped for the new season of HBO's Game of Thrones. Season 3 deals with the events in the book A Storm of Swords, by far my favorite part of the story. So much happens! I can't even tell you. Season three debuts at the end of March - 3.31.13 as the promos have seared into my brain. To tide us over, HBO produced 24 pictures taken on the set filming season 3. Take a look at the new characters, and a new look for some old ones too.

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Expand for list of characters: #1 Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, #2 Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth, #3 Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark, #4 Jack-Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon and Natalie Dormer as Margaery Tyrell, #5 Kit Harington as Jon Snow, #6 Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, #7 Maisie Williams as Arya Stark, #8 Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark, #9 Nikolaj Coster Waldau as Jaime Lannister, #10 Paul Kaye as Thoros of Mry, #11 Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, #12 Richard Dormer as Beric Dondarrion, #13 Richard Madden as Robb Stark and Oona Chaplin as Talisa Maegyr, #14 Rose Leslie as Ygritte, #15 Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, #16 Stephen Dillane as Stannis Baratheon, #17 Thomas Brodie Sangster as Jojen Reed.

I love these glimpses into what the series will look like. Despite the adaptation diverging from the narrative of the books at this point - and in some very key areas of character development - it's difficult for me to not picture the actors and appearances in the show when I'm reading Martin's words. I think the designers nailed the look of these new characters very well - the Reeds look great, and Diana Rigg as the Queen of Thorns is perfect. I'm not as sure about Thoros of Myr and the Lightning Lord, but I'll withhold judgement until I see the whole Brotherhood Without Banners. I'm oddly interested to see Lem's yellow cloak.

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Expand for list of characters: #1 Carice van Houten as Melisandre, #2 Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister, #3 Ciaran Hinds as Mance Rayder, #4 Clive Russell as Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully, #5 Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell, #6 Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed.

Keep in mind, Season Three of Game of Thrones only covers the first half of A Storm of Swords so we won't see any Freys or even Prince Oberyn Martell. Still, I'm glad they are weaving in the Reeds to correct some of the omissions from books. Now Reek missing? I'm not sure how they're going to recover from that. Listen to our Season 2 recap podcast to hear what worries us about how characters were portrayed in the show versus the novels. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escapist-podcast/5938-Bonus-Game-of-Thrones-Cast-Season-2-Wrapup]

(Images [http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html#/game-of-thrones/about/slideshow/season-3-photos.html/eNrjcmbO0CzLTEnNd8xLzKksyUx2zs8rSa0oUc-PSYEJBSSmp-ol5qYy5zMXsjGyMXIyMrJJJ5aW5BfkJFbalhSVpgIAXbkXOA==])

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[DugMachine]

Very cool! About half way through Storm of Swords so pretty much know how the season should play out more or less but I'm dying to see it either way.

 

[rdaleric]

Looking good, very much looking forward to Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr. Though it always bothers me seeing Meera Reed without a trident in the recent photos, just worried that the oft mentioned slight weirdness of the crannogmen is not going to be included

 

[StriderShinryu]

I do hope they're going to "enhance" the Imp's scar in post production. It looks like he was scratched by a cat.

I don't know about that being changed.. but it will be interesting to see how they deal with other coming injuries to characters. If Tyrion's was toned down, I wonder if the others will be too.

 

[Leftnt Sharpe]

I always imagined Thoros as being more priestly..............and red. Hopefully Paul Kaye gets it right.

 

[Eric Morales]

Some commentary. I don't anticipate any spoilers.

1: Is it just me or does Daeneyrys's expression make her look a bit older. If that's intentional it's a nice touch. After all, Storm of Swords kind of her fifteen minutes of awesome. I take it those are the Unsullied behind her? I always assumed slaver's bay was a desert climate, I would think that all that black iron and black clothing is likely to melt you. Still, they look ready to kick some ass.

2:Speaking of ready to kick some ass.

3:Oh look, it's Bran, best guess, he's whining in this scene.

4:I'm not sure I want to know what that crossbow is pointed at. Margaery looks younger in this shot than I remember her looking in Season 2. That's a good thing.

5:Still rocking the black cloak I see. I'm not usually good at predicting these things but I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a "Haters gonna hate" photo.

6: "If we lose the war my sister should take up mummery. She has a gift for it"~Tyrion. I'm pretty sure that's Cersei's "I'm pretending to listen to you" face.

7:Arya, about to increase her body count.

8:Catlyn Tully apparently realizing for the first time that as Heraldic animals go, fish aren't that intimidating.

9:Jaimie Lannister, enjoying a life riding the rails as a hobo.

Spoiler

I see he still has both his hands

10:I wouldn't have guessed this was Thoros of Myr until I read the caption. In a way I think it's a missed opportunity to have more people of color in the cast.

11:The Highlight of the show for most people I think. I hope they don't have him go on about how ugly and disfiguring his facial scar is. It just doesn't look that bad.

12:Speaking of not looking that bad: Lord Beric Dondarrion! Apparently, the actor who's playing him in Season 3 isn't the same as the one who played him in Season 1. I guess that's one way to make a man look more haggard.

13:I don't know what it's going to mean for future events, but I'm glad they replaced Jeyene Westerling with What's-her-face from Volantis. She seems to have more personality than Jeyne, though granted, so does that tiny carving of a castle.

14on't say it. I know it's the one thing she's famous for saying, but I don't care. Don't say it.

15:What's the deal with that necklace she's got on? I wonder if the vaguely cross like shape is supposed to be a visual shorthand conveying the 'good girl' persona that Sansa has had to adopt as a defense mechanism. Either way, this isn't a particularly good picture. Something about her eyes makes her look kind of vacant. It looks like she's calling a dog. Or calling Lady... oh... I made myself sad...

16:I didn't recognize Stannis in this picture at first. Looks like we'll be seeing more of the castle at Dragonstone. I've gotta say, I think having a castle like that immediately qualifies you to start calling yourself "Dark Lord"

17:I'm wondering exactly when and how they're going to introduce the Reeds in the TV series. Part of me is glad he wasn't at Winterfell last season. Jojen can be kind of abrasive in large doses.

18:Yup, more of Dragonstone, and it looks good. I really like Melisandre but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one. Granted, sometimes she needs to chill out and she's just a bit too enthusiastic about blood sacrifices. But still, I like the cut of her gib.

19:Tywin Lannister, in the process of shitting gold.

20:The King Beyond the Wall. I wonder if he's going to do any singing.

21:Brynden Tully, seen here rolling a natural 20 on his attack roll.

22:I notice some prominent thorns on Rose belt, which is a little odd, I seem to remember she didn't particularly like the title "Queen of Thorns." Also, it seems like it'd be really easy for those things to poke you.

23: Winner of Survivor: Westeros, Meera Reed.

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

Glad they didn't make Brienne Hollywood unattractive, in the same way the Hollywood nerds have thick glasses and thats it, but I can't shake the impression that she looks like Boris Johnson in armour. I can't unsee it!

 

[redknightalex]

I stopped reading halfway through the second book (I know, how could I? I was in high school!) and never watched the series at all, but these screens really make everything look good again. I got tired of the book series, and most likely the TV series as well, when it started doing a Sopranos on me -- giving the bad end of life to the characters I loved -- but now I want to go back and read them.

Still have to finish off this space opera kick I'm on though.

 

[hazabaza1]

YEEES
YEEEEEES
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES

Looking forward to this for sure. I should really get around to reading the books sometime.

 

[Akexi]

Some commentary. I don't anticipate any spoilers.

9:Jaimie Lannister, enjoying a life riding the rails as a hobo.

Spoiler

I see he still has both his hands

They sadly cut out the whole Brave Companions story arc so I think he gets to dodge that bullet. Kind of makes his character development a bit harder. On another note, I still hope he shaves his head later on.

 

[Amaror]

Oh my god.
I JUST got over the fact that "A dance with Dragons" ended with those horrendous cliffhangers and moved on to other books and stories, but i just know that when the third season airs, i am going to search google every day to look for infos if "The Winds of Winter" is coming out in 5 or 10 years. Damnit!

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

Is it weird that I think Joffrey and Margaery actually make a pretty cute couple in that fourth picture?

Ah well, I'm still left waiting for a picture of Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton, if what I've heard is true.

 

[T'Generalissimo]

Seeing this just rekindled all of my desires to see Joffrey die. Fuck you, Joffrey!

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

9:Jaimie Lannister, enjoying a life riding the rails as a hobo.

Spoiler

I see he still has both his hands

Spoiler

In the book he doesn't loose his hand straight away. If it's true that the Brave Companions won't be in the TV series, than I wonder if perhaps Brienne will cut it off in the fight they have. I can't possibly imagine how they could do Jaime's arc without it happening. If he doesn't lose the one thing he has defined himself around his entire life, what motivation does he have to change who he is?

 

[Suave Charlie]

Glad they didn't make Brienne Hollywood unattractive, in the same way the Hollywood nerds have thick glasses and thats it, but I can't shake the impression that she looks like Boris Johnson in armour. I can't unsee it!

Well fuck. Can't unsee that now..

 

[Eric Morales]

They sadly cut out the whole Brave Companions story arc so I think he gets to dodge that bullet. Kind of makes his character development a bit harder. On another note, I still hope he shaves his head later on.

Spoiler

They haven't introduced the Brave Companions YET, in the same way the held off introducing the Reeds or the rest of House Tully. I'm not normally a betting man but I'll bet anything that Jaimie WILL lose his hand somehow, even if the Bloody Mummers get cut from the series entirely. Frankly, Jamie not losing his hand would be like a version of Spiderman where Uncle Ben doesn't die.

Remember too this is a promotional shot, showing him one handed would be giving away the twist.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I was late to jump into the books but when I did, I loved them. Great casting for Brianne! She looks similar to how I imagined her.

 

[Yggdraz0r]

I sincerely hope most of the cool things happening in book three, do happen in the series aswell. To be entirely honest, I think Storm of Swords is what kickstarted the plot directions of almost every character for the next two books.

Can't wait to see how they make it happen.


On a side not; Am I the only one who gets all: NO THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE BOOKS when they switch stuff around?
OCD .