Once in a while, it's nice to know someone is returning to "Game of Thrones" for sure.

In July, Business Insider reported that actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who plays Bran Stark, was returning that month to work on season six. And today, Entertainment Weekly shared the first photo of the older handicapped prince with the special powers.

Missing in action since the end of season four, Bran has let go of the long locks, baby fat, and stands at about six feet tall. And he's ready to bring some twists to the next season of the hit HBO fantasy drama.

“It’s going to get particularly interesting with Bran. He has some interesting visions,” Isaac Hempstead-Wright told the Irish Examiner earlier this year.

Believed dead by most of those gaming for the throne, Bran was most recently seen surviving an attack by wights (the White Walkers' reanimated minions). Since then, viewers have assumed he's been working on his powers away from the chess play around the throne. As a "warg," Bran has the ability to enter the minds of animals and humans. He also has prophetic visions or "greensight."

His return might turn out to be a game-changer as Stark loyalists could rally around him (especially after what happened to Jon Snow). There could also be some revenge to be had against the Lannisters. Bran lost the use of his legs after being pushed out of a tower window by Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in a bid to keep his incestuous relationship with his sister, Cersei (Lena Headey), a secret (Bran had seen them together).

There could also be some revenge to be had against the Lannisters. Bran lost the use of his legs after being pushed out of a tower window by Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in a bid to keep his incestuous relationship with his sister, Cersei (Lena Headey), a secret (Bran had seen them together).

Whatever occurs with his return, it will definitely change the course of events when "Game of Thrones" returns in April.

SEE ALSO: Fans were so outspoken about this disturbing 'Game of Thrones' scene that parts of the upcoming season were actually changed

MORE: These photos provide even more evidence Jon Snow is coming back on 'Game of Thrones'

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NOW WATCH: How the 'Game of Thrones' cast reacted when a Comic Con audience member shouted about Jon Snow

Bran Stark was absent from season 5 of "Game of Thrones," but he will likely play a crucial role in season 6, based on clues from the the book and the new teaser trailer from HBO.  Here's a quick look at what we can expect next April.

Produced by Chris Snyder. Reporting by Kim Renfro.

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The sixth season of HBO's "Game of Thrones" TV show will show storylines and characters that haven't even happened in books yet — that's because author George RR Martin failed to meet the deadline for the series next installment.

Martin confirmed on his personal blogging website that he failed to meet the December 31 deadline for his sixth book, "The Winds of Winter," and therefore when the new season of Game of Thrones goes live in early 2016, the TV show will surpass what has happened in the books.

Here are some excerpts from his blog explaining what happened:

THE WINDS OF WINTER is not finished.

Believe me, it gave me no pleasure to type those words. You're disappointed, and you're not alone. My editors and publishers are disappointed, HBO is disappointed, my agents and foreign publishers and translators are disappointed... but no one could possibly be more disappointed than me. For months now I have wanted nothing so much as to be able to say, "I have completed and delivered THE WINDS OF WINTER" on or before the last day of 2015.

But the book's not done.

Nor is it likely to be finished tomorrow, or next week. Yes, there's a lot written. Hundreds of pages. Dozens of chapters. (Those 'no pages done' reports were insane, the usual garbage internet journalism that I have learned to despise). But there's also a lot still left to write. I am months away still... and that's if the writing goes well. (Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't.) Chapters still to write, of course... but also rewriting. I always do a lot of rewriting, sometimes just polishing, sometimes pretty major restructures.

Martin works closely with HBO's TV producers to make sure the TV series mirrors the contents of the books. However, it looks like that the audience will now learn more about what happens in the books before they are published.

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It's going to be even longer before the next "Game of Thrones" book arrives.

In a post on his personal blog, "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin had some disappointing news for fans: He wasn't able to finish the next book in the series, "Winds of Winter," by the end of 2015.

In fact, Martin warned it could be several more months before he's able to deliver the novel.

Here's what Martin said:

THE WINDS OF WINTER is not finished.

Believe me, it gave me no pleasure to type those words. You're disappointed, and you're not alone. My editors and publishers are disappointed, HBO is disappointed, my agents and foreign publishers and translators are disappointed... but no one could possibly be more disappointed than me. For months now I have wanted nothing so much as to be able to say, "I have completed and delivered THE WINDS OF WINTER" on or before the last day of 2015.

The hope was that Martin would be able to finish "Winds of Winter" in time for the premiere of season six of the HBO show, which has mostly caught up to the books. Season six premieres on April 6.

Martin said he simply ran out of time to finish the book. His original deadline was October 31, 2015. But when it became clear he couldn't meet it, his editors and publisher extended the deadline another two months, which would still give them time to get the book out in time.

But Martin still missed his deadline, and left things very vague as to when he thinks he'll be able to finish the book.

Luckily, Martin assured everyone that HBO and the publisher of his book had a plan in place just in case this happened. The show's producers and writers have the entire story sketched out. But it's still not an ideal situation for fans of the books who are concerned that the show is going to continue the story before the books can.

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NOW WATCH: Why Bran Stark will play a huge role next season on ‘Game of Thrones'

George R.R. Martin, author of the fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire," which has been turned into the smash-hit HBO series "Game of Thrones," had some bad news for fans on Saturday.

Martin was supposed to finish his latest book in the series, "The Winds of Winter," before the sixth season of "Game of Thrones" airs in April. Unfortunately, he's missed multiple deadlines due largely to writer's block.

The author penned an honest blog post to try and explain why his latest book probably won't be available for purchase before HBO's show returns. In it, he says "writing didn't come fast or well" and that thinking about missing the deadline — and press reports that he was going to miss the deadline — made him so stressed that it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"I grew unhappy with some of the choices I'd made and began to revise... and suddenly it was October, and then November... and as the suspicion grew that I would not make it after all, a gloom set in, and I found myself struggling even more," Martin wrote. "The fewer the days, the greater the stress, and the slower the pace of my writing became."

Basically, he got in his own head. And Martin admits he's never dealt well with the stress of deadlines.

"You can blame my travels or my blog posts or the distractions of other projects and the Cocteau and whatever, but maybe all that had an impact," Martin explained to fans. "You can blame my age, and maybe that had an impact too...but if truth be told, sometimes the writing goes well and sometimes it doesn't, and that was true for me even when I was in my 20s."

Martin says his disdain for deadlines is the reason he became a novelist rather than a newspaper reporter. He's a creative perfectionist who can't be rushed.

"I have always had problems with deadlines," Martin wrote. "For whatever reason, I don't respond well to them. Back in November, when I returned to Northwestern to accept my Alumni Award, I told the Medill students that was why I started writing fiction instead of getting a job on a newspaper. I knew even then that daily deadlines would kill me."

Martin says he's disappointed with himself, and that there are no excuses, but he hopes his audience can enjoy the show — which he admits will likely spoil some of the book — as well as his finished work, whenever it's finally finished. He makes no promises about when "The Winds of Winter" will be published.

"I am going back to my stance from last March, before all this," he says. "It will be done when it's done. And it will be as good as I can possibly make it."

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On Saturday, George R.R. Martin revealed fans would need to wait even longer for the next book in the “Game of Thrones” series, “The Winds of Winter,” because he had missed his deadline.

Even worse, he wrote the book would not be published until after season six of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” had premiered.

And while he may have been expecting a major backlash, Martin wrote on Saturday his fans were actually sending messages of support despite the setback.

“Just keep on truckin’,” one fan wrote in the comments of Martin’s original announcement. “The fact that you're working hard is enough to sate me.”

“Love your work, George!” said another. “Get it done when it's done. I'll be there.”

In fact, nearly all of the thousands of comments were positive. Even after almost five years of waiting and another delay, fans were just happy to have any update on the book at all. 

“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all the kind words and good wishes,” Martin wrote. “The outpouring of support in response to my post on ‘The Winds of Winter’ has been astonishing.” In his LiveJournal post, he said his current mood was “rejuvenated.”

Martin admitted in his original announcement he had missed two deadlines — one at the end of October and the other at the end of 2015 — both of which were necessary to meet in order to have the book published ahead of HBO’s series.

The acclaimed author partially blamed his inability to stick to deadlines as well as his busy schedule on the trouble.

“You're disappointed, and you're not alone,” Martin wrote, saying that his editors, publishers, agents, translators, and the team at HBO were also disappointed.

“But no one could possibly be more disappointed than me,” he added.

Though he has already written “hundreds of pages, dozens of chapters," Martin said he was still months away from being done with the sixth book.

“[I have more] chapters to write of course, but also [there’s the] rewriting,” he said. “I always do a lot of rewriting, sometimes just polishing, sometimes pretty major restructures.”

Martin purposefully left the future vague about the book's publishing schedule, reverting to his original message to fans that “it will be done when it’s done.”

The hope was Martin would be able to finish "The Winds of Winter" in time for the April  premiere of HBO's season six of "Game of Thrones," which has almost completely caught up to the books.

Though Martin says there may be spoilers in the show for book lovers, he added since the show has diverged so much from the source material, some of the "spoilers" may not be in the books at all.

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NOW WATCH: Why Bran Stark will play a huge role next season on ‘Game of Thrones'

The "Game of Thrones" cast and creators really know how to milk toying with their audience about potential spoilers.

Natalie Dormer appeared on Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show last night and all but admitted that Jon Snow is alive in the next season.

After Dormer revealed that she shot some of the upcoming season six for the HBO fantasy series in Spain as well as the more usual Belfast, Ireland, Kimmel launched them into a discussion of what's happening to Jon Snow. Is he alive? Is he dead? Is he being revived?

"Now there's some posters up that maybe have given a little bit of the game away," Dormer said, dropping a major hint that those promotional images focusing on Jon Snow mean we're not so done with him, after all.

Then Dormer quickly drifted off to a discussion of spoilers in general and how she stays a fan of "Game of Thrones," keeping the fan questions burning.

Watch the video of Natalie Dormer discussing Jon Snow below:

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones."

"Game of Thrones" fans have been wondering since last June whether or not Jon Snow will be returning to season six of the HBO series. Though many are firmly placed in the "he's alive" camp, there are still those who protest the claims he will be back.

This week, however, one "Game of Thrones" actress seemed to confirm what everyone wants to believe is true: that Jon Snow really will return.

Natalie Dormer, the actress who plays Margaery Tyrell on the show, recently made an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and discussed the debate with her host. 

"Do people ask you if Jon Snow is alive all the time?" Kimmel asked the actress.

"It was pretty intense towards the end last year," Dormer explained, referencing the debates that cropped up after the season finale in June 2015. "Now there’s been some posters up that have maybe given a little bit of the game away."

Here she's referring to the teaser poster released by HBO in November of 2015. The poster featured a bloody-faced Jon Snow, and seemed to hint towards his character having unfinished business on the series. 

Dormer's hints about returning characters didn't stop there. She went on to explain to Kimmel that she has stopped reading the scripts and storylines for any character who doesn't interact directly with Margaery in King's Landing.

This means that when she attends the wrap parties or red carpet events, she's sometimes surprised to see cast members she thought were gone for good. 

"It’s annoying because I’ll find myself in the hair and makeup trailer, and someone will show up, and I’ll be like 'What are you doing here?! Oh my god, you’re back?! I gotta leave!'"

Perhaps this anecdote refers to Jon Snow actor Kit Harington, or maybe there are more surprise comebacks from characters we've presumed dead. The Hound is a strong contender for making a return based a popular theory known as "Cleganebowl" among the diehard fan community. 

"Game of Thrones"returns to HBO this April. For the first time in the series' history, much of the show's plot is completely unknown to fans. Author of the original written material George R.R. Martin told fans in early January that he will not have the next book published before the show aired. So book readers and show watchers alike will have to tune in to learn the true fate of Jon Snow.

You can watch the full segment with Natalie Dormer from Jimmy Kimmel Live here, or below:

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NOW WATCH: 7 reasons Jon Snow will be back on ‘Game of Thrones’ next season

"Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin admitted earlier this week he missed the deadline for the sixth installment in the series — "The Winds of Winter." 

Avid fans of his written series had cause for disappointment, because this meant some major plot points are going to be revealed onscreen via the HBO series instead of through the author's written words. 

Martin's followers were extremely supportive of his efforts to communicate with the fandom, but that doesn't mean burning questions disappeared. 

One fan asked, in the comment section of Martin's blog on LiveJournal, whether or not book readers could hold out hope for word on the characters from the author himself.

"Are you considering releasing any more chapters from ['The Winds of Winter] ahead of the book release? Perhaps something that would inform book readers of spoiler-y topics that may be reached in the show?"

"Possibly... but please, this is off topic," Martin replied. "We're talking audiobooks here."

Martin frequently asks his fans to keep discussions on his blog posts on topic, but rarely is the request honored. In this case, the delinquent commentor was rewarded with a response, albeit a vague one.

The author did not eliminate the possibility of another early chapter release, which is great news for the fandom to latch onto. Martin has already made six chapters of "The Winds of Winter" public, but none revealed major plots or character arcs. 

It seems as though he may be more open to providing spoilers, given the guarantee that HBO's season 6 will reveal them this year anyways. 

It's worth noting the lack of certainty in this response. "Possibly" is about as vague as you can get, especially with no further elaboration. But the Reddit community over at /r/asoiaf was quick to get hyped, with one person titling the link "[George R.R. Martin] considering releasing another TWOW chapter, beating the show to a plot point that will happen in [Season 6]."

Some commentors hedged the excitement, calling the title "a little sensationalist." But the fact Martin replied positively at all, when he receives a bevy of LiveJournal comments everyday, warrants at least a little bit of excitement.

There are plenty of open-ended storylines from the fifth book Martin could choose to address with a sample chapter. Most notable is the fate of Jon Snow, whose last chapter faded out with him losing consciousness after being stabbed. Or perhaps fans could learn what happens between Daenerys Targaryen and the Dothraki horselords she encountered in her last chapter. 

Either way, the show's version of these events will transpire onscreen starting in April this year. Book readers will have to keep their fingers and toes crossed for hopes of more material from Martin. Keep typing, George!

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NOW WATCH: Why Bran Stark will play a huge role next season on ‘Game of Thrones'

We may not know the fate of Jon Snow, but we do know when "Game of Thrones" season six will premiere on HBO.

The new season will air starting April 24, 2016 at 9 p.m. 

HBO made the announcement Thursday at its winter press tour for the Television Critics Association.

HBO also announced its comedies "Silicon Valley" and "Veep" will also return 4/24 at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., respectively.

Fans anxiously await the new season because it will be the first big time the show will really head into new territory.

Season five's end caught up with George R.R. Martin's book series, and the author has said his next book, "The Winds of Winter"will not be completed and published before season six premieres. 

This is the latest any season of "Game of Thrones" has debuted since season one, which premiered April 17, 2011. A big reason for the show's late return is because HBO's new rock drama "Vinyl" from director Martin Scorsese will premiere Sunday, February 14 at 9 p.m. It's 10-episode first season will come to an end Sunday, 4/17.

SEE ALSO: Here's the first photo of Bran Stark's grownup return on 'Game of Thrones'

MORE: Fans were so outspoken about this disturbing 'Game of Thrones' scene that parts of the upcoming season were actually changed

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NOW WATCH: 7 reasons Jon Snow will be back on ‘Game of Thrones’ next season

HBO is doubling down on "Game of Thrones."

HBO programming president Michael Lombardo told a handful of reporters Thursday at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour that the premium cable network is near a deal for another two-season renewal for the fantasy drama based on the books by George R.R. Martin.

The renewal would be for seasons seven and eight — marking the second time that "Game of Thrones" has scored the dual order. The cabler last renewed the Emmy-winning drama for seasons five and six in 2014. The news comes hours after HBO announced an April 24 return date for its sixth season.

A formal announcement is expected to come soon, though it's unclear if season seven of the series will be its last.

For the cast, the news comes after the stars in October 2014 signed on for the yet-to-be officially announced seventh season with hefty pay raises. The principal "Game of Thrones" actors were signed only through six seasons of the show. In exchange for the option, HBO ponied up huge raises for seasons five, six and the potential season seven that will make the cast members among the highest-paid actors on cable TV. An HBO rep declined to comment on the renegotiation or the season seven options.

"Game of Thrones" ranks as HBO's most-watched series ever and is the premium outlet's longest-running show currently on the air.

Season six of the drama will be the show's first to surpass the plot points included in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books. The author recently revealed that the sixth book in the series, The Winds of Winter, will not be finished before the show returns for season six.

For HBO, securing the future of "Thrones" was a key priority. The network next has music drama "Vinyl" due Feb. 14, fantasy drama "Westworld" from Warner Bros. Television due later this year and a drama slate that also consists of the third and final season of critical darling "The Leftovers." It's unclear if anthology "True Detective" will go on to a third season.

SEE ALSO: Here's the first photo of Bran Stark's grownup return on 'Game of Thrones'

MORE: Fans were so outspoken about this disturbing 'Game of Thrones' scene that parts of the upcoming season were actually changed

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NOW WATCH: How the 'Game of Thrones' cast reacted when a Comic Con audience member shouted about Jon Snow

What is the fate of Jon Snow, and when will we find out?

The mystery around the character deepened when HBO released the "Game of Thrones"season-six poster that featured Snow (Kit Harington) prominently, which launched a hundred questions. One of his castmates, Natalie Dormer, said the poster had "given a little bit of the game away."

So it seems likely Snow is back, in some form. But is it a happy or sad return?

Maisie Williams (who plays Arya Stark) has given us a little more information on Jon Snow's return.

"It was awful, it was really awful – everyone was so sad about it," Williams told the Upcoming at the Critics' Circle Awards in London of Snow's downfall on season five.

"And I feel so mean, because I speak to people and they’re all like, ‘Jon Snow, is he back?’ And it’s really heartbreaking, because people are like, ‘Yeah, but he’s coming back though?'" she said, adding, "There’s a great twist — but I can’t say that he’s going to be alive."

What could that mean? There are theories that Snow will be back as a White Walker, the sort-of undead people who reside beyond the wall.

We'll just have to wait until April 24, when "Game of Thrones" returns for season six, to find out. Williams says it will be worth the wait.

"I loved shooting this series," Williams said. "I think people are going to really enjoy it. Everything is slotting into place for the finale. I loved that all the pieces are coming together. People should be really excited." 

Watch Williams' interview below:

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NOW WATCH: How the 'Game of Thrones' cast reacted when a Comic Con audience member shouted about Jon Snow

"Game of Thrones" has more characters and locations than the average viewer can keep track of, but believe it or not there are still many that didn't make it to the show. The original book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" clocks in at over 4,000 pages — it's no wonder the HBO showrunners have had to eliminate some storylines from their television adaptation. 

Though some of the missing plots could appear in the upcoming seasons, so far it seems at least six major stories were left by the wayside. Let's dive into the wonderful world of Westeros.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for non-book readers, plus there's always a chance these storylines may come to fruition in future seasons.  

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1. Lady Stark returns from the dead to seek vengeance against the Lannisters and Freys.

This is one huge departure from the books fans have been expecting to see every season since Catelyn's death in season three. Rumors have already started again for season six, but there's a chance it's simply never going to happen. 

Catelyn Stark was murdered during the Red Wedding, but show-only fans may not realize that wasn't the last we saw of her in the books. Catelyn's body was thrown into the river, and recovered by a group of rebels called the Brotherhood without Banners. The leaders of the group are Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr — a red priest capable of bringing people back from the dead. 

Catelyn was resurrected, and she now leads the Brotherhood without Banners under the name Lady Stoneheart. This un-dead version of Catelyn can barely speak, since her throat was slit at the Red Wedding and the wound never healed completely. But Stoneheart — obsessed with getting revenge — is slowly bringing the Freys and Lannisters to justice by hunting them down and hanging them. The last we heard of her, she had captured Brienne and Podrick, and convinced them to bring Jaime Lannister to her. So far, there's no sign Stoneheart will appear on the show, but some fans are holding out hope.

2. There's a group of men trying to reclaim the North and take down the Boltons and the Freys.

Along with Lady Stoneheart's quest to kill Freys and Lannisters, there is another rebellion against the Stark murderers that happens in the books. After the Red Wedding, Roose Bolton and his son Ramsay are given control of the North. In the show, there isn't much sign that any of the Lords formerly sworn to Robb Stark remain loyal to his cause. But the books contain several clues regarding a faction of houses plotting to overthrow the Boltons. 

The tagline of this movement is: "The North Remembers." You may have heard this line a few times in the show, but the books contain a far more powerful scene. Wyman Manderly is one of the Lords sworn to House Stark. In the books, there comes a time when Ser Davos (Stannis' right-hand man) is sent to ask Lord Manderly to swear fealty to Stannis. Manderly, who appears to be loyal to the Freys on the surface, meets secretly with Davos and gives a bolstering speech about how his dedication to the Freys and Lannisters is a "farce." 

Manderly has a source who reports that Rickon Stark (the youngest son of Eddard) is on an island called Skagos. He tells Davos that he will be loyal to Stannis' cause if Davos goes to Skagos and finds Rickon. There are deeper parts of the Northern Conspiracy that hint at an effort to crown Jon Snow as King in the North. Read up a summary of the whole plot at Watchers on the Wall. 

3. One of the Martells tries to marry Daenerys for her dragons and to take the Iron Throne from the Lannisters.

You may remember Prince Doran Martell, the brother of Oberyn and ruler of Dorne. In the books, Doran has a long-con plot to overthrow the Lannisters. The crux of his plan lies with his eldest son, Quentyn, and his knowledge of Daenerys Targaryen. Doran sends Quentyn to Meereen to marry Daenerys and bring her back to Westeros, either unaware or uncaring about her current marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq. Doran and Quentyn believe that with a marriage to Daenerys, and her dragons, they can overtake the Iron Throne.

Quentyn arrives in Meereen, but his proposal isn't taken very seriously by Daenerys. Then, when she flies away on the back of Drogon, leaving Quentyn and her advisors behind in Meereen, Quentyn refuses to leave empty-handed. He attempts to tame her two remaining dragons, Viserion and Rhaegal, and bring them home. Sadly, his plan fails and he is doused in dragonfire. Quentyn dies from his injuries several days later.

HBO just released three new teasers for the upcoming sixth season of "Game of Thrones"— one each for Houses Stark, Targaryen, and Lannister.

They were released on Twitter after the network asked its followers to tweet one of three families vying for the Iron Throne.

Depending on which family one chose, HBO would tweet back a 25-second teaser tailor-made for that family.

"We can overthrow an empire," the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) says in one teaser's voiceover.

We'll wait and see.

See the teasers below:

House Stark:

 House Lannister:

House Targaryen:

"Game of Thrones" returns on April 24 on HBO.

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' star teases a 'great twist' for Jon Snow in season 6

DON'T MISS: Here's the first photo of Bran Stark's grownup return on 'Game of Thrones'

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HBO just released three new teasers for "Game of Thrones" season six. Using Twitter's new auto-reply feature, fans are given the chance to pledge their loyalty to one of the three main Houses: Stark, Lannister, or Targaryen. 

When you tweet either #HouseStark, #HouseLannister, or #HouseTargaryen at the official "Game of Thrones" handle (using @GameofThrones), the account auto-replies with a teaser related to the corresponding house of choice. Each 25-second clip shows the house flag waving in front of a landscape.

Here's the Stark teaser:

Ramsay Bolton speaks, saying "Winterfell is mine … come and see." His taunt sounds very similar to a letter sent in the books. At the end of the fifth book, Ramsay sends Jon a letter at the Wall, threatening him and goading him into coming to fight at Winterfell.

One of the lines reads, "Your false king's friends are dead [Referring to Stannis]. Their heads upon the walls of Winterfell. Come see them, bastard." 

Sound familiar? Perhaps Jon Snow lives on in season six, and will face-off with Ramsay. The backdrop is stormy, and it's snowing. Winter is most definitely here.

Here's the Targaryen teaser:

Last we saw Daenerys, she was alone and surrounded by a Dothraki khalasar. In the teaser a man, probably the Khal, says in Dothraki: "You are nobody. The millionth of your name. Queen of Nothing." Doesn't sound like he's happy to see her.

But hopefully the burning landscape in the background means Drogon is nearby, and Daenerys can use dragonfire to lay waste to the khalasar. 

And here's the Lannister clip:

That's the High Sparrow speaking — the new leader of the Faith who imprisoned Cersei, Margaery, and Loras in season five. He says: "Every one of us is poor and powerless. And yet, together, we can overthrow an empire." Echoes of "Shame!" can be heard faintly, recalling Cersei's walk-of-shame from the finale.

Seems like Cersei and Tommen are in for a rough season. The sun looks like it's setting in the background of this clip. Perhaps the sun is finally setting on the Lannister reign?

HBO made an interesting choice by having no one from the actual Stark, Targaryen, or Lannister family speak in their respective teasers. Instead, as one Redditor pointed out, they highlight a direct enemy of the given house.

The Boltons are partially responsible for the deaths of Robb and Catelyn Stark, and currently have Sansa hostage in a sadistic marriage to Ramsay. 

Daenerys was comfortable among the Dothraki until the death of her husband Khal Drogo, and then the horselords turned on her. 

And the High Sparrow shamed Cersei publicly, shaving her head and forcing her to walk naked through the streets of King's Landing. 

Season six of "Game of Thrones" premieres on April 24. This will be the first complete season with almost no written material left to adapt, since author George R.R. Martin has yet to publish his next book. 

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NOW WATCH: Why Bran Stark will play a huge role next season on ‘Game of Thrones'

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones," including theory speculation.

Friday afternoon, HBO released three new clips teasing the return of "Game of Thrones." Each video was attached to one of the main houses: Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen. Though each seemed to hint at a plot for the upcoming season, one stood out from the rest. 

The Stark teaser is most likely hinting at Jon Snow's fate.

The clip shows a stormy northern landscape, with a tattered Stark flag blowing in the wind. Ramsay Bolton menacingly says, "Winterfell is mine … come and see."

Watch it below:

So what does this have to do with Jon Snow?

Well, in the fifth written book, "A Dance with Dragons," Jon Snow receives a letter at the Wall. He knows Stannis was planning to march on Winterfell, but refused to give him aid from the Night's Watch. It's against the Watch's vows to participate in any political agendas of Westeros.

The letter Jon is sent was signed by Ramsay Bolton. It reads: "Your false king is dead, bastard. He and all his host were smashed in seven days of battle ... Your false king's friends are dead. Their heads upon the walls of Winterfell. Come see them, bastard."

The writing continues, taunting Jon and telling him to come and fight Ramsay himself. And Jon, typically so dedicated to his vows, decides he's going to ride to Winterfell with anyone who will follow, and handle Ramsay for himself. 

But before he can leave, Jon's fellow Night's Watch brothers attack him in a mutiny, stabbing him over and over until he falls unconscious. 

That last part happened in the show, in the season five finale, but so far the showrunners have left out the letter from Ramsay to Jon. 

Based on the new teaser clip, it sounds like they may have saved this plot for season six. In the show, Stannis was killed in battle by Ramsay — a fight that has yet to unfold in the books. It's possible that Ramsay will now send a letter to the Wall, to Jon Snow. And the wording in the clip ("come and see") is very similar to the letter in the book. 

And if that's the case, Jon is going to have to survive his stabbing in order to receive the letter. 

We've already mapped out the many ways he might survive, along with clues about his return next season. So let's add this one to the pot. 

The icing on the cake? A set photo leaked showing Kit Harington, the actor who plays Jon, wearing what looks like Stark armor. And other anonymous sources have reported a big battle being filmed featuring Bolton soldiers and Stark/Northern House soldiers. 

These previous hints, combined with the new trailer, have fans hyped to see Jon Snow go up against Ramsay Bolton. And, hopefully, finally win. 

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NOW WATCH: 7 reasons Jon Snow will be back on ‘Game of Thrones’ next season

Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson, aka "Game of Thrones" character The Mountain, is everywhere nowadays. He's breaking records and challenging UFC fighters. And he's giving away the secrets to his gargantuan size.

Although The Mountain has been on the HBO fantasy drama since season one, Björnsson is the third actor to play him after Conan Stevens (season one) and Ian Whyte (season two). Björnsson came aboard on season four.

Björnsson, who stands at 6'9" and weighs 396 pounds, told GQ that he hasn't missed a workout in six years and can deadlift more than twice his weight at 990 pounds.

How did he accomplish this unbelievable physical shape? Here's what he said: 

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Björnsson has hardy genes.

With strong Nordic ancestry and Björnsson's grandfather being a farmer for 40 years, the actor got a head start on his size. “I was always taller than everybody else," he said. "I’ve been training all my life, but probably didn’t grow muscle-y until I quit doing basketball. I played for Iceland’s under-18 and under-17 team, so it wasn’t until probably 2007, 2008 that I start to gain a lot of weight.” He went from 230 pounds all the way up to 396.

Björnsson loves to push his body.

“I was always getting injured,"Björnsson said. "I injured my ankles quite badly. I had to have surgery. So the second time I had an operation I decided to take a break from basketball to heal my foot. I could train more then, and I just fell in love with the weights, fell in love with training hard, started to put weight on quite fast, started to get strong really fast. I saw results.”

Björnsson's training doesn't just happen inside a gym.

“It’s not just all about the training. It’s all around: You have to train well, sleep well, eat well," he said.

Jon Snow's fate seemed left up in the air after being stabbed in the "Game of Thrones" season-five finale (and it isn't clear in the books, either), but actor Kit Harington tells fans they should "get used" to the character's death.

Harington has been evading questions about Jon Snow's future, but in a new interview with Digital Spy he says, "People didn't want me to die, but he's dead. So there you go, everyone has to get used to it." 

He added that he had more free time last year due to what sounds like less involvement with "Game of Thrones."

"I haven't done 'Thrones' in a while," he said. "I had quite a lot of time off last year. I've been taking it easy. And relaxing."

But even that doesn't necessarily mean Snow is off the show. With a ton of characters to focus on, Snow may not be featured as much this year in the upcoming sixth season. Not to mention, there are abundant theories about how Snow could evade death, as well as how he could be brought back should Harington be telling a partial truth.

Even "Game of Thrones" star Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) has teased a "twist" about the beloved character. 

Anyway, all secrets will be revealed once "Game of Thrones" returns to HBO April 24.  

SEE ALSO: How the 'Game of Thrones' star who plays The Mountain got so massive

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There are many infamous lines repeated in "Game of Thrones," but one of the favorites might be the memorable "You know nothing, Jon Snow."

Often repeated by Jon's wildling girlfriend Ygritte, the phrase has become a favorite of "Game of Thrones" fans.

But one person took it a step further, creating a subreddit called /r/thingsjonsnowknows. 

The joke? When you visit the page, a simple message greets readers: "There doesn't seem to be anything here."

Get it? Because he knows nothing. Classic Jon!

The subreddit is listed as "trending" on Reddit's homepage, presumably due to a spike in subscribers. But /r/thingsjonsnowknows was created two years ago by Reddit user crimsonandred88. It now has over 19,000 subscribers. The description for the page reads: "An encyclopedia of the knowledge contained in Jon Snow's curly, frozen little noggin."

Not a single post has ever been submitted.

SEE ALSO: How the 'Game of Thrones' star who plays The Mountain got so massive

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NOW WATCH: Why Bran Stark will play a huge role next season on ‘Game of Thrones'

To fill time between MMA fights, producers in Russia put knights in the ring to entertain the audience. These battles became so popular that they became a fully fledged tournament, called M-1 Medieval.

Story by Jacob Shamsian and editing by Carl Mueller

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