Game of Thrones Season 4, 2014 Casting News, The Red Viper: Pedro Pascal to Play Prince Oberyn Martell in HBO Series

Earlier this year, producers announced some new characters that would be appearing in the fourth season of HBO's hit fantasy series Game of Thrones, and fans were probably most excited about the addition of Prince Oberyn Martell. Arguably the most anticipated role of the new season of the show, Martell (also known as the Red Viper!) will be portrayed by Chillen actor Pedro Pascal. He has previously had arcs on CBS' The Good Wife, ABC's Red Widow and USA's Graceland.

If you are not familiar with the A Song of Ice and Fire book series and characters, Oberyn Martell is a brash, charming, cunning prince of Dorne (part of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros). His main passion is to seek revenge for the brutal murder of his sister, Elia, by the Lannister knight Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane. In season four, Oberyn comes to King's Landing with revenge on his mind.

"This was a tough one," explained showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss about the casting. "The Red Viper is sexy and charming, yet believably dangerous; intensely likable, yet driven by hate. The boys love him, the girls love him, and he loves them all back. Unless your last name is Lannister. We found a fellow who can handle the job description and make it seem effortless. He wasn't easy to find and he won't be easy to stop."

The fourth season of Game of Thrones will air in the spring of 2014 with production beginning next month.

Are you excited about the casting of Pascal as Martell? What other characters are you looking forward to seeing in season four?