Introducing the latest additions to the Game of Thrones cast

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the cast for George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a new stage adaptation inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire, set to debut next week.

In the promotional image, the cast is seen in full costume, with Michael Shaeffer portraying King Aerys II Targaryen at the center, surrounded by actors playing Ashara Dayne, Elia Martell, Rhaella Targaryen, Robert Baratheon, Lyanna Stark, Brandon Stark, Rhaegar Targaryen, and Eddard Stark.

For those not in the know, The Mad King is set a decade before the events of the A Song of Ice and Fire series and the Game of Thrones TV show, primarily unfolding during a banquet in the twilight of King Aerys II Targaryen’s reign. This intriguing chapter of the franchise’s lore serves as a pivotal moment leading to future events, and it’s a fresh take that fans haven’t seen before.

Given its subject matter, this production also marks the first time some iconic characters have been recast since the TV series. This was inevitable as adaptations into various formats, including stage plays and video games, began to emerge. Notably, some characters not shown in the image, like Maxim Ays’ Jaime Lannister, will also be part of the cast. Below is the complete cast list for Game of Thrones: The Mad King, organized alphabetically by last name.

George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones: The Mad King will run at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from August 8 to September 5.

The Mad King adds complexity to popular fan theories surrounding The Prince Who Was Promised, Daenerys, and Jon Snow.