HBO's most popular series of all time, Game of Thrones, may have ended in 2019, but the world of Westeros is back in full force with its new prequel series - House of the Dragon. So far, six episodes have been released, and each one has seen tremendous success, with reports stating that nearly 30 million viewers are tuning in for each episode.
House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin's Targaryen history book, Fire & Blood, and is set around 200 years prior to the events of Game of Thrones. The series showcases The Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war that happens due to opposing sides fighting over the succession to the Iron Throne.
Due to its success, House of the Dragon has already been renewed for a second season by HBO. Rumors have already begun to swirl about actors that may show up in Season 2, with Elizabeth Olsen being the most popular name thrown around. However, there has been no official word from HBO about any casting for the upcoming installment, and Olsen was recently asked about the reports for the first time since they surfaced.
Elizabeth Olsen on House of the Dragon Rumors
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Elizabeth Olsen was asked about the rumors that she was set to star in Season 2 of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel titled House of the Dragon.
After confirming that she auditioned for the role of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones "way back when," the actress was asked if she would be interested in having a role in House of the Dragon. Reports surfaced online recently that stated she had already been cast in Season 2 of the show. Olsen appeared open to the idea, but then quickly stated that she isn't sure "how rumors like that get started:"
"Yeah, I mean, sure. But like, I don't know how rumors like that get started and people think they're legitimate."
Olsen then went on to say that she heard "someone with a blue check" announced it via Twitter, which she considered to be "weirder" than if it was just a rumor:
"Dreamcasting is fun, yeah. I heard that it was, like, announced though, which is weirder. From someone with a blue check, I heard, when I did my Variety interview for tonight."
The Marvel star was then asked if she could definitively say she wasn't cast in House of the Dragon, and she responded by saying "I mean, I've never heard of such a thing."
After being asked if she would ever possibly consider playing in the HBO series, Olsen said "sure," as long as it would be a story that is "worth telling:"
"Sure, I mean, anything that's worth telling, that's a good story, that's innovative, that's great characters, and yeah, sure."
Could Elizabeth Olsen Play in House of the Dragon?
Since Elizabeth Olsen made her MCU debut in the post-credits scene of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, she has appeared in a handful of projects within that universe. However, due to her fate in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it is unknown what her future holds when it comes to the superhero genre.
The actress is not currently set to appear in any upcoming MCU projects, which dramatically opens up her schedule to take on other roles. It is entirely possible that she actually has been consulted about a role in House of the Dragon and is keeping it a secret, but until there is some sort of official word, it is safe to assume that she will not be appearing in it.
However, if Olsen were to be cast in Season 2, there are two roles that seem like the best fit for her - the Red Priestess Melisandre and Visenya Targaryen, the sister and wife to Aegon the Conqueror.
Olsen obviously has a lot of experience playing a witch due to her tenure in the MCU, so her appearing as a Red Priestess would only be natural. Many people have suggested that she play a young version of Melisandre, the character that appeared in Game of Thrones that was portrayed by Carice Van Houten.
In Game of Thrones, Melisandre is around 400 years old, which means that she would definitely be around during the House of the Dragon timeline. Even though she did not appear in Fire & Blood, HBO may elect to stray away from the source material and bring the character in.
The other character that Olsen could potentially play is Visenya Targaryen. If she appeared in this role, it would have to be in a flashback, because the character died prior to the events of House of the Dragon. However, HBO is currently aiming to expand the Game of Thrones universe, and they may be planning another prequel series based on Aegon the Conqueror. This would show how the Targaryens really came into power, and Visenya would play a major role in a project like that.
