HOLLYWOOD SPY SPOTLIGHT ON THE SECOND SEASON OF "GAME OF THRONES" WITH CHARACTER PICTURES, CAST & THE STORY!

I know that you are all extremely excited about the premier of the second season of one of the most popular epic series GAME OF

THRONES which is ready to hit small screens April 1st over at HBO bringing back royal and less royal characters from George R.R. Martin's famous epic saga A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE to the small screens in their brutal and scheming fight for the throne of the land of Westeros. Have you seen the brilliant new character pictures and covers from the latest "Entertainment Weekly"? If not, check them out in today's post. They are mostly showing Jon Snow played by Kit Harington, dragon queen Daenerys played by Emilia Clarke, and queen Cersei and her twin brother Jaime, played by Lena Headey and Nikolaj Coster Waldau.

SECOND SEASON STORY

Determined to avenge his father's death, the newly proclaimed king Robb Stark continues the war against the Lannisters and the boy king Joffrey Baratheon. But there are more claimants to the Iron Throne, including Stannis Baratheon, who will be supported by a priestess of a strange god. Meanwhile, Jon Snow and The Night's Watch continue their trek beyond the Wall, and Daenerys and the remains of her khalasar will be forced to cross the Red Waste and claim what is hers. Tyrion Lannister, the new Hand of the King, tries to control the situation in King's Landing by opposing Cersei and her purges. Meanwhile, the rest of the seven noble families of Westeros are trying to forge new alliances in order to prevail in the war for the throne.

THRONES TIDBITS

As you remember from HOLLYWOOD SPY's previous reports the second season of GAME OF THRONES has been shot under the scorching hot sun of Croatia, rainy clouds of Ireland and snow storms of Iceland, and will try to bring lots of drama and epic battles to the small screens since the second run of the show is all about the revenge and war, after kings and nobles have been killed in the first season. With a 15% bigger budget (the first season cost about $50 - 60 million in total), the show will also bring the most epic climactic battle ever attempted for television.

2ND SEASON FACES

Beside the old characters, dragons and direwolves we shall also see a bunch of new names in the already complex cast. The ten episode second season will open with the episode titled NORTH REMEMBERS and beside the names from the first season Richard

Madden as Robb Stark, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark, Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy, we shall also see Stephen Dillane as Stannis Baratheon, the elder of Robert's two brothers and one of several claimants to the Iron Throne, Carice van Houten as Melisandre of Asshai, the "Red Priestess" of the foreign god

R'hllor, an influential advisor to King Stannis Baratheon (it is interesting that she was first supposed to play Cersei last year), Liam Cunningham is the former smuggler Ser Davos Seaworth, a bannerman of Stannis, Gwendoline Christie is Brienne of Tarth, a female warrior who joins Renly Baratheon's guard and becomes a follower of Catelyn Stark, Natalie Dormer (from THE TUDORS)

appears as Lady Margaery Tyrell, a noblewoman from the Reach promised to be the wife of Renly Baratheon, Gemma Whelan will play Yara Greyjoy, the Ironborn captain and sister of Theon, Tom Wlaschiha will play Jaqen H'ghar, a prisoner and recruit of Yoren, and an assassin of the Faceless Men, Rose Leslie will appear as Ygritte, Jon Snow's love interest among the Wildlings, Patrick Malahide is Balon Greyjoy, lord of the Iron Islands and father of Theon. Info from WIKIPEDIA.