A Blog of Ice and Fire
A previously noted casting—that of child actress Octavia Selena Alexandru—has now had her role attached to it, revealed online via her agency. But for those who’ve not yet read A Dance with Dragons, lets just say her role is something of a spoiler… and so we’ll be sticking it below the cut.
HBO has sent out a press release containing a host of new details for the Season 3 Boxset (Pre-order: US Bluray, US DVD, UK Bluray, UK DVD), setting its release date as February 18th.
The press release details start below, including an exclusive sneak peek by way of USA Today:
Featuring one of the most shocking episodes of all time, the third season of the HBO® series Game of Thrones captured headlines and captivated audiences with its gruesome battles and political intrigue. The season was “bigger than ever” (Entertainment Weekly) - and the most nominated series at the 2013 Emmy® Awards. Bring home a piece of TV history when Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season makes its highly anticipated debut on Blu-ray with HBO Select ($79.98), DVD ($59.99) and Digital Download on February 18, 2014. Game of Thrones is consistently the hottest BD/DVD title on the home entertainment charts, with seasons one and two currently ranked as the fastest-selling TV-on-BD releases of all time. The BD and DVD sets are packed with special features that further explore the characters, families and politics that populate the richly drawn world of Westeros.
In Season 3, the battling families of the Seven Kingdoms continue to fight for power as bonds are strained, loyalties are tested and cruel fates are met. The Lannisters barely hold on to power after a savage naval onslaught from Stannis Baratheon, while stirrings in the North threaten to alter the overall balance of power. Robb Stark, King in the North, faces major calamity in his efforts to build on his victories over the Lannisters, and beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder and his huge army of wildlings continue their inexorable march south. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen - reunited with her three fast-maturing dragons - attempts to raise an army to sail with her from Essos, in hopes of eventually claiming the Iron Throne for herself.
Bonus Material
The Blu-ray with HBO Select and DVD bonus materials in Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season contain multiple featurettes, extended and deleted scenes, and audio commentaries. Additional features on the BD release include interactive guides, illustrated histories, and an extensive feature on the creation of “The Rains of Castamere,” containing nearly two hours of never-before-seen material, as well as new looks at the infamous “Red Wedding.”
Via James Hibberd over at EW, fans have learned that Russian actor Yuri Kolokolnikov has been cast in the role of Styr, the Magnar of Thenn. “Magnar” is a word in the Old Tongue of the First Men, meaning “lord”. The Thenns are an isolated group of wildlings from the far, far north of the inhabited lands beyond the Wall, and in the novels they treat the Magnar almost as a deity. The character is introduced early in A Storm of Swords—in fact, Jon at first mistakes him for Mance Rayder—but obviously the show trimmed the character from the corresponding season…. and now he’s back. It will be interesting to see his role, given his later introduction, but it’s likely a safe bet that he’ll be involved in the penultimate episode of season 4, directed by Neil Marshall.
