'True Blood' Spoiler: Is Russell Edgington Returning for Season 4?

After months of teasing the former vampire king's return, THR has the answer.

2:46 PM PDT 8/24/2011 by Jethro Nededog

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We feel we’ve taken part in creating the speculation of whether or not Russell Edgington will return to wrap up some loose ends on HBO’s True Blood this season. So, we felt it was important to report as soon as we knew either way.

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An HBO spokesperson tells The Hollywood Reporter that Denis O’Hare doesn’t appear this season.

As recently as earlier this month, O’Hare told THR that fans should “never give up” on Russell’s return. He also reiterated what series creator Alan Ball had told fans, “Russell’s not dead.”

When HBO released the episode descriptions for this season’s finale episode, it stated "the denizens of Bon Temps brace for a new crisis with a familiar face" and we thought for sure it was referring to Russell.

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The last time fans saw him, Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) sealed Russell in a cement grave, but he vowed that he’d be back. This season has been kind of an ode to the character as his televised killing of a news anchor created violent discord between humans and vampires, setting in motion many of the events of Season 4 – dubbed the “Post-Russell Edgington world.”

When we spoke to exec producer and writer, Alexander Woo, before this season’s premiere about the character’s reprisal, he told us, “He’s been locked away, so he’s kind of a time bomb. He could come back in any moment.” So, that moment won’t happen this season.

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Of course, O’Hare is busy shooting his new series, FX’s American Horror Story, but we’ll take his suggestion and never give up. Maybe, Russell will be back in Season 5?

Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro

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