Game of Thrones casts Max von Sydow

Award-winning Swedish-French actor Max von Sydow has joined the cast of Game of Thrones‘ highly-anticipated sixth season, according to an exclusive report by Entertainment Weekly.

Von Sydow is a renowned veteran actor whose illustrious career includes roles in numerous iconic films including The Exorcist, Never Say Never Again, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Minority Report. He has been nominated for an Academy Award twice for his work in Pelle the Conqueror and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

This casting news comes almost right after Ian McShane was reported to have joined the epic fantasy series. While McShane’s role remains a mystery, Max Von Sydow has been confirmed to play the Three-Eyed Raven, a mystical figure who will tutor Bran Stark on his new-found magical abilities. This character was briefly seen in the season 4 finale (played by a different actor.) Though he will have limited screen time, this character will still play a significant role in the larger story.

Game of Thrones season six is currently in production and Von Sydow is reportedly already on set. Last week, HBO head Michael Lombardo discussed the possibility of the show extending to eight seasons instead of the planned seven. While the final number of seasons has yet to be confirmed, the sixth season is expected to air next year.