Maisie Williams has finally weighed in on reports that HBO is considering bringing Arya Stark back for a new Game of Thrones spin-off set in Essos (Drops of God writer Quoc Dang Tran is reportedly developing the project).
Westeros has continued to expand since the original series ended. Despite Game of Thrones' controversial final season, fans have embraced House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Of course, rather than immediately revisiting the characters audiences already knew, those series have taken place elsewhere in the timeline.
However, there have also been reports of plans to revisit some of the original show's most popular characters, including Arya Stark.
Williams, who played Arya in all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, was asked about those reports during an interview with The Guardian (via SFFGazette.com). As of now, it doesn't sound as though the actress has been approached about an Arya project, as she admitted that she was just as surprised as anyone else to see the reports.
"I saw that, too! I was like, huh? I don't know, really. She would have to be developed in some way because I feel like I’ve changed so much," Williams said of a potential Game of Thrones return, "and I feel like what people loved about Arya is that she was always a child doing things that were quite grown-up."
Arya was introduced as a young girl before becoming a highly capable assassin, with much of her appeal coming from the contrast between her age and the dangerous situations she found herself in. The character's popularity diminished later on, especially as many fans felt that Arya's training with the Faceless Men strained credibility.
The rumours surrounding an Arya sequel can be traced back to a lengthy Game of Thrones feature published by The Hollywood Reporter in January. While most of that report dealt with the stalled plans for a Jon Snow-led sequel, sources suggested that introducing another beloved character could potentially help get the project moving.
Arya was reportedly floated as one possibility, although this remains far from an officially announced Game of Thrones spinoff. Any new ideas surrounding the franchise are understood to be in relatively early stages, and creator George R. R. Martin has repeatedly declined to comment on specific projects.
An Aegon's Conquest movie is thought to be gaining momentum, with Andor writer Beau Williamson attached to the project. The series will focus on Aegon the Conqueror and his campaign to unite the kingdoms of Westeros.
Would you watch a Game of Thrones sequel revolving around Arya Stark?