How likely is it that Sandor Clegane will return to the show?

[TFP]

rory's age works well in terms of him being a father figure for Arya.

it completely blows the books' 'Sansan' romance potential out of the water.

in terms of richness of his character I'd say that this gain & loss more or less cancel each other out.

[Dya of Oldstones]

I'm excited to see Sandor come back in the books, but not so much in the show, which I'm suspecting it has more to do with how the showrunners handled his character than with Rory himself. That being said, I still would have preferred an actor about 10 years younger, and someone in their 30's would have not been of an age with Robb and Jon. OTOH, that character is a challenge to get across, even with better writers than they have for the show. Under the circumstances, I really can't complain much about Rory.

ETA: I'm more upset with things they've done to the character itself, such as giving some of his best lines to Littlefinger as early as S1 than with casting choices.

[TheIncomingWave]

Really likely now looking at the season 6 casting call.

Don't know how they're gonna combine tWoW storyline and Iron Isles Plot.

Ps. Balon Greyjoy still isn't dead on the show (Meaning Greyjoys are still stuck in aSoS.

[Ser Charles of Rosehaven]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AOGqkv9MqeI

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=psS2IMFkxKo

So No hype?😢

[Lord Godric]

I don't think he'll be back. The show has a history of just leaving people, and I'm not even sure if Sandor will return in the books I'd much rather he live out his days in peace on the quiet isle.

[ADanceWithCats]

I really hope he won't come back. The show needs to move forward, and I've always thought the idea of Cleganebowl was extremely lame and uncool - fans gotten caught in their own hype.

[Karmarni]

I hope the show Hound returns. Not for Cleganebowl but for the Starks.

I think it's a given he's still alive and will return in the books. A close reading reveals that.

There's a reason that Sandor is not killed off in the books and the show.

I'm still fingers crossed for meeting Sansa again. The ending between them at Battle of Blackwater was ambiguous in the show. The actor's age is meaningless to me, but for what it's worth to the ageists out there, the original pilot script specifically states the show character's age as 35. Rory McCann does his own Sandor version and that's ok with me. I like him as Sandor.

Besides, the show is tepid and boring without him.

[Bugzi]

If they wanted show Sandor to be in his thirties they might of done better hiring some one in their thirties not closer to fifties.

Asides from that for those of us who don't like Rory playing the character it comes down more to the fact he is so out of step with Sandor as he was written in the book and his visible age plays a part though there are many other reasons. He just does not have the essence. To me he is barely even based on Book;Sandor.

It is an opinion. That they didn't get a younger, feistier actor for the role will, for me, be a constant disappointment/irritation when watching Sandor on screen. I don't feel like D&D understood much about the character at all.

And yes, Sandor does do his own version of Sandor Clegane; he is Scooby-doo in his own words (I accept I am probably exargerating with that comment, but meh. That's how show Sandor feels to me some times, just look at the OP's avatar).

If you want to read my and other's opinion as some sort of "ism" that is up to you, though a bit rich considering what you said about Sophie turner in another thread (looking like boy-George, nasel voice and how the casting did not get lucky with her), personally I think she is great.

[Lady of Dragonstone]

In the books Tyrion is only twenty four at the beginning, Dany is thirteen and Ned Stark is not even forty, Cat is around thirty five. If Sandor were played by an actor of twenty seven he would be of an age with Jon Snow and Robb. LOL.

Yes, all characters were aged up on the show. This is a fact. The show is not the books, guys.

I 100% believe Rory will reprise his role as the Hound. I loved him and was so very sad to see him go (for a season, heh). Glad he had a lovely break, and I can't WAIT to see the Gravedigger scenes. I can't remember where, but I remember reading an interview transcript where GRRM said that was one of his favorite things he had written for this series..... I really don't think D&D would leave this opportunity for great scenemaking on the cutting room floor.

[Curled Finger]

I read an article last week detailing the casting of a bunch of new characters for next season. One of the characters' bio bears a healthy resemblance to Septon Meribald. So perhaps a trip to the Quiet Isle is possible next season. It could be very interesting for those of us who have read the books without a new installment in YEARS to see The Hound make a live unzombified comeback in the show. Go Hound!

[Graven]

I believe he will come back.

He said something like "unless a maester find me..." in the books, he is found. Jaqen cameback after being absent for a whole season, and he does not even shows up in the books again(most likely left that alias behind anyway), so there was some fanservice there, the same could happen for Sandor in the show even if he just stays gravedigger forever in the books.

[mdw4950]

i wouldve said not very likely until season 6s casting news broke. that one description really seems like itll be meribald or the elder brother. unless they plan on moving brienne back south and waste time on a scene of her being sad then confident in her vows, it has to be related to the hound. for everything theyve cut, it seems like a waste of screen time just to have brienne wander around with one of them then leave without accomplishing anything.

the hound gets name dropped a lot considering he isnt a major character (as opposed to people like the dead starks, king robert, rhaegar ect who get a lot of mentions but are huge parts of the overall plot). if he does return in the show, i feel like they need to remind the viewer that he wasnt close to 100% against brienne or i feel like he wont be as threatening as his character is supposed to be. when he gets wounded in the books arya plainly states hes getting his ass kicked because hes really drunk. hell, even being that drunk, and after getting slashed and stabbed multiple times, hes still tough enough to kick a table into polliver, stab him in the face and talk shit before doing it. having him get beat in both a sword fight and a fist fight against brienne then come back like that didnt happen is just poor writing.

[Annarkie]

I only just now stumbled across this casting news. I am 98% sure Sandor's coming back! Also, I think that quote comparing him and Arya to Scooby and Scrappy Doo was hilarious. Proves the actor has just as much of a sense of humor as the character.

As for Cleganebowl, I kinda see it as a best of both worlds if it happens in the show and not the book, or vice versa.

Either way, I miss his shit-talking.

[ni2tre]

What casting news? Did we get any news on Rory McCann returning?

[Annarkie]

What casting news? Did we get any news on Rory McCann returning?

No, but someone fitting the description for Septon Meribald is in the casting call, which is why the thread is speculating about the likelihood of Sandor returning, not confirming it.