Dead Game of Thrones character set to return (spoilers)

* This story may contain spoilers

We saw him perish while sitting on the toilet at the end of season four, but apparently Tywin Lannister could be making a return to the HBO fantasy series next year.

Charles Dance, who plays the villainous patriarch of the Lannister family, has hinted that he will be starring in season five of Game of Thrones.

During an interview with MTV for his new film Dracula Untold on Friday he said: "Well, I'm not completely missing out on the next series."

Before teasing fans further by adding, "More than that, I'm not going to say ... so, you haven't seen the last of Tywin Lannister".

The show is known for its use of supernatural elements, in particular White Walkers and their army of zombies known as "wights".

But it is unlikely that Tywin will be coming back as a reanimated corpse.

Instead there have been suggestions that next year Game of Thrones will feature flashbacks to Cersei's childhood, which could well include a more youthful version of Tywin.

The series is based on George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels.

In the fourth book, A Feast for Crows, readers are given a glimpse into the queen's past and a terrible prophecy from the witch Maggy the Frog.

The new season of the show will be adapted from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons and will features a whole host of new characters.

However, Bran Stark and Hodor will not be on the show next year.

Filming on the fifth season of Game of Thrones is underway and will broadcast in 2015.

- Independent