More Melisandre In The Game Of Thrones Prequel? Here's What Carice Van Houten Says

Melisandre Game Of Thrones HBO

Game of Thrones has come to an end, and while some stars like Kit Harington have confirmed they won't reprise their roles again, there's always a chance one or two of them could pop back up in a future series (provided there are more). Granted, that doesn't sound entirely possible given the current prequel spinoff takes place long before any of the original tale's characters were alive, but there is one character possibly still in play.

Carice van Houten was recently asked if there was any chance the witchy priestess of the Lord of Light Melisandre would appear in the upcoming prequel. The actress claimed she didn't know of anything, but signaled she's interested to learn more about the character in future Game of Thrones entries.

Who knows. I guess you could see a very young Melisandre or something like that. That could be fun. But not in the shape of me. No one has contacted me about it. There are so many great characters, but I personally would have loved to see more of Melisandre’s background.

The thought that Melisandre could be alive in a series that goes as far back as the prequel is rooted in the mystery surrounding the character's age. Though she was typically seen with a youthful appearance, Melisandre's form would change when she removed her gold choker necklace with the glowing ruby. It turns out she was actually a very old woman, but the power of the necklace transformed her body and made her appear and possibly even feel younger.

So exactly how old is Melisandre? Carice van Houten may have an idea, as she did indicate to Deadline that if Melisandre did appear in the prequel, it wouldn't be her in the role. It may be that she is just making an educated guess, although actors and actresses tend to get a lot of background on their characters to help them in their roles. She may know the character's true age, which is why she's sure it wouldn't be her.

The most publicly known about Melisandre's past is that she was sold to a Red Temple at an early age. After that, her story fast forwards all the way to the War of the Five Kings, where she aligned with Stannis Baratheon. Obviously, there's some ground to cover in her story if HBO or some future Game of Thrones spinoff writer wants to go for it. Perhaps we'll see a young Melisandre appear as a disciple of the Red Temple.

While Carice van Houten assured she hasn't been contacted about anything, her involvement would certainly be one of those secrets she'd be encouraged to keep under wraps. That's probably especially true with ill feelings about Game of Thrones Season 8 still floating around the internet, as the prequel set thousands of years before it may distance itself story-wise about as much as it possibly can.

HBO's Game Of Thrones Prequel: An Updated Cast List

The Game of Thrones prequel pilot is on the way, and more information on it may arrive here soon, so stick with CinemaBlend for more updates on what's happening in television and movie news.

Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.