Role Call: Snape Loses His Black Robes, Umbridge to Record Spoken-Word Album

Last week, Alan Rickman‘s film Gambit was made available for On Demand streaming viewers. The premise of the film directed by the Coen brothers stars Colin Firth as art curator Harry Dean seeking to get revenge on his boss Lionel, played by a sometimes naked Alan Rickman. The film looks hilarious, and while a naked Rickman is a bit disturbing after years of seeing him cloaked in Snape’s black robes, seeing Alan in a sharp suit isn’t too shabby either! You can view the trailer for the movie below and judge his wardrobe choices for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-uwqDrxBxw

Bill Nighy and Toby Jones have been cast in a military comedy film version of the BBC television series called Dad’s Army. Nighy will take on the role of Sergeant Wilson and Jones will play Captain Mainwaring. The original series, which ran from 1968 to 1977, followed members of Home Guards during WWII. While not much is known about Nighy’s character in the film, the character that Jones will be portraying is described as a “humourless and self-important bank manager who commands the detachment of amateur soldiers defending their home town against Nazi invasion”.

Domhnall Gleeson appeared on The Late Late Show RTE to promote his new film, Frank. The episode can be viewed at the RTE website here! While we also recently announced that Domhnall has been cast in the new Star Wars VII, he suggested in an interview with the Irish Post during Sundance London that he will perhaps be working onscreen with his actor father, Brendan Gleeson,  sometime within the next year, saying:

I’ve got to keep my mouth shut for the moment, but maybe some time in the next year we might get working on something, that’d be fun.”

Does this mean that in addition to Domhnall being cast in Star Wars VII that Brendan may also have a role? No one has suggested this as a possibility, but it’s one that comes to mind given the recent Star Wars casting news. The Irish Post suggests that the film the Gleeson’s, including Domhnall’s brother Brian, may be working on will be an adaptation of an Irish novel, At Swim Two Birds. Only time will tell…if Domhnall doesn’t spill the beans on the project first! We’ll keep an extendable ear out for more news on any films that will bring the Gleeson family together on future projects!

Prisoner of Azkaban stuntman Spencer Wildling has signed on to back a campaign against bullying. The safety charity, called ISPY (Integrated Services Protecting the Young), was formed four years ago by a former deputy head teacher at Prestatyn High School. As a former student of the school, Wildling has pledged to back the campaign:

The ISPY idea is amazing, it’s the first of its kind in the world and it’s great to be given the opportunity to be their patron.”

Wildling has been active in Hollywood since working on the Harry Potter set, with roles in various television and film productions such as HBO‘s Game of Thrones series and can be seen next as the character Nathaniel in Daniel Radcliffe‘s new film, Frankenstein.

Another member of the Weasley family has found a new role. Julie Walters has been cast in a 10-part television mini-series for Channel 4. The drama, Indian Summers, is centered around the changing times in India during the last days of British rule. Julie will play widow Cynthia, who must face “the end of [the] Empire and the birth of an independent nation” in the series, set in 1932. Joining Julie is former HP alum Henry Lloyd-Hughes, who portrayed Quidditch captain Roger Davies in Goblet of Fire. He will play Ralph Whelan in the new mini-series, the Private Secretary to the Viceroy of India. Indian Summers is set to begin filming this summer, with the first 90-minute episode to air sometime in 2015.

Imelda Staunton and her husband, Jim Carter (who happens to star alongside Dame Maggie Smith in the BBC series Downton Abbey), will be recording war poetry to music from the era in new arrangements to honor the centenary of World War I, called Centenary: Words And Music Of The Great War. The album will be released this summer.

Finally, Stephen Fry, best known to MuggleNetters as the voice of the audio versions of the Harry Potter books, will be starting a U.K. promotional tour for his newest memoirs, which are currently without a title. The tour, called Stephen Fry Live! will run from Sept. 24th through Oct. 1st and is described by his publicist as “stories from the book, anecdotes and a smattering of Fry stand-up”. Fry has also been named the new president of the Hay Festival, which he will also attend this year as a participant.  Of his new role as president, he had this to say:

This is the honour of honours…To say that I am proud to be President is criminally to understate.”

In addition, Fry received a Tony nomination this week for his role in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and will next be seen playing the role of British Prime Minister in the London-set series of the terrorism drama 24, which airs next Wednesday on Sky One.

What do you think about this week’s Casting News? Will you be wishing for a Gleeson reunion in the upcoming Star Wars film? What did you think of the trailer for Alan Rickman’s Gambit?

Let us know which projects you’ll be tuning in for by commenting below, and don’t forget to check out all the latest news on your favorite cast by visiting our Cast Pages!