Ian McShane Joins Cast of Game of Thrones Season 6

Game of Thrones Season 6 is already highly anticipated, and we still have about nine months before we get there. But we now have another cast addition to look forward to, as Ian McShane has joined the series!

Entertainment Weekly reports that McShane, perhaps best known for his work on a previous HBO series, Deadwood, has been cast in a mystery role. The site only states that McShane will have a significant part, but will not be on screen for very long. Hmm...

Some other potentially game-changing news about Game of Thrones Season 6 came out recently, but let's just do a quick review of what happened to Kit Harington's character of Jon Snow in the Season 5 finale, "Mother's Mercy."

We come to the Wall, where Jon Snow is talking to Davos about how he can't help Stannis, both of them unaware that the One True King is currently rotting by a tree outside Winterfell. Melisandre rides in, and now they know something is really wrong.

As Jon Snow contemplates the situation, Olly comes in and tells him one of the Wildlings has information about Jon's uncle Benjen, whom we thought deceased way back in Season 1. Jon sprints outside to find a sign that says "Traitor" and turns to face dozens of members of the Night's Watch, each of whom plunge a blade into him "for the Watch."

I could yell about this. I could scream. I could throw myself into a blind rage. But I'll let Reddit user Actual_Time_Traveler speak for all of us:

"HOW DO NONE OF YOU NIGHT'S WATCH F*CKERS GET THIS? THERE'S A G*DDAMN ICE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE BEARING DOWN ON YOU. BRINGING WILDLINGS OVER IS THE LEAST OF YOUR PROBLEMS. THIS ISN'T F*CKING HARD TO UNDERSTAND."

There's always the chance that Jon Snow isn't actually gone for good. Melisandre could use some magic to bring him back, and there are plenty of other fan theories about how he can return. Kit Harington has also said in interviews that he's not coming back next season, which could simply mean he pulls a Bran and Hodor and takes a year off.

But now, noted Game of Thrones spoiler and news site Watchers on the Wall has posted an image of Harington in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ordinarily, this would just raise a few eyebrows, but the site points out he has made numerous trips to Belfast in recent weeks of pre-production for Season 6. It's possible Harington is just there to film a funeral scene, or to be there as Jon Snow's body, but it could also be something more.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section.