Castium Revelio: Better than a Royal Wedding!

Aside from being the wedding day of another Harry (who doesn’t happen to be a Potter), it’s time for another edition of MuggleNet’s Casting News! What have our magical alumni been up to lately? Let’s find out – right here and right now! Castium Revelio!

First, Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) will be starring in the upcoming drama The Laundromat, acting alongside Meryl Streep. The film will focus on the Panama Papers scandal, reports the Hollywood Reporter.

Oldman will also star in and direct a film for which he also wrote the script, Flying Horse. According to Deadline Hollywood, the film will tell the true story of a photographer who pioneered the moving picture.

‘Flying Horse’ captures the story of Eadweard Muybridge, the photographer who was considered one of the true fathers of the moving image. In 1872, Muybridge was living the life as a successful photographer, contracted by the former governor of California to capture a horse-in-motion. And then, his life exploded, when he discovered his wife Flora was having an affair with the dapper critic Major Harry Larkyns. Muybridge’s story turns to one of revenge, murder, and the search for justice. He killed his wife’s lover, and then was acquitted on grounds of justifiable homicide.

Next up is Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy), who has been cast in Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets! Deadline Hollywood writes that the film is adapted from the novel of the same name by Evan Roskos.

Based on the novel of the same title by Evan Roskos, the dramatic comedy follows the wild and humorous world of sixteen-year-old James Whitman (Zumann), we see his struggle to overcome anxiety and depression by seeking advice from Dr. Bird – an imaginary pigeon therapist – in the wake of his sister’s disappearance.

Chris Jarman, who originated the roles of both Hagrid and the Sorting Hat in the London production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be joining another magical show: Wicked! Playbill writes that Jarman will be taking over the role of Doctor Dillamond in the London production of the musical, beginning July 23. (Original cast member Martin Ball, who currently plays Doctor Dillamond, will give his final performance on July 21.)

Daniel Cerquiera, who will play an unknown role in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, will be playing De Fuensalida, “ambassador to England and loyal servant of Spanish Queen Isabella,” in the upcoming Starz limited-run series The Spanish Princess. Deadline Hollywood writes that the new series will be the channel’s third installment of author Philippa Gregory’s novels. (Both The White Princess and The White Queen have been adapted from Gregory’s works for Starz.)

Deadline Hollywood additionally provided a description of the plot.

Promised in marriage to the future King of England Prince Arthur, played by Angus Imrie (‘Hollow Crown’, ‘Kingdom’), Catherine is the source of curiosity, resentment and suspicion among her new family; the formidable Margaret Beaufort played by Dame Harriet Walter (‘The Crown’, ‘Call the Midwife’), Laura Carmichael (‘Downton Abbey’, ‘Marcella’) as Arthur’s guardian Margaret (Maggie) Pole, Ruairi O’Connor (‘Delicious’) in the role of Arthur’s charismatic brother Prince Harry (who will become King Henry VIII), alongside his sister Margaret (Meg) Tudor played by Georgie Henley (The ‘Narnia’ franchise, ‘The Sisterhood of the Night’) with Elliot Cowan (‘Da Vinci’s Demons’) as King Henry Tudor and Alexandra Moen (‘Fortitude’, ‘Dickensian’) as Queen Elizabeth. Philip Cumbus (‘Girlfriends’, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’) is Thomas Wolsey. When Prince Arthur dies shortly after their wedding, Catherine finds her future as Queen in question and at the mercy of a divided Tudor court under the threat of enemies both abroad and closer to home.

Variety writes that Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts producer David Heyman will be producing Warriors from Alibaba Pictures, a “live action-and-CGI hybrid, which is based on a series of young-adult books and targeted at children and the YA crowd.” STX Entertainment will be co-producing.

‘Warriors’ is based on books by Erin Hunter, the collective pseudonym of three U.K.-based writers – Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, and Tui Sutherland – along with an editor, Victoria Holmes. Published by Harper Collins since 2003, the books feature clans of forest-dwelling cats caught up in stories of adventure, forbidden love, and faith.

Jenn Murray, who portrayed Chastity in Fantastic Beasts, has been cast in Maleficent 2, Variety reports. The film, which will star Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning, will be a sequel to 2014’s Maleficent, though there is no word on the upcoming film’s plot. Maleficent 2 is expected to enter production this year.

Kevin Guthrie, who plays Abernathy in both Fantastic Beasts films, will be appearing at a charity event in Anstruther, Scotland, next month, writes Fife Today. Guthrie “has ties to the area” and will be supporting the Arncroach and Carnbee Community Development Trust at its fundraiser on June 22, “giving a brief talk about his career, before introducing his latest film, Edie.” He will reportedly hold a Q&A session afterward.

Warwick Davis, who portrayed Professor Flitwick and Griphook, will make a cameo appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story, writes Slash Film. The role, they add, appears to be one of the two that Davis played in 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

The second role Davis played in ‘The Phantom Menace’ was a little extra role alongside Watto. Davis appeared as a human character named Weazel in the Toydarian’s box seats for the podrace, though some fans thought he was playing his character Willow, which just so happened to have been directed by Solo’s Ron Howard.

Solo: A Star Wars Story will be released on May 25.

Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew) has joined the cast of Summer of Rockets, a six-part Cold War drama from the BBC, Variety reports. Filming has begun in London and Oxford on the project, which is set in Britain in 1958.

The Bookshop, which stars Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour), recently opened the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). Ahead of the screening this past Thursday, The Seattle Times published a review of the film, which you can find here.

David Tennant (Barty Crouch, Jr.) has been spotted on the set of his new HBO series, Camping, alongside costar Jennifer Garner. David-Tennant.com published the photos to Facebook and provided a description of the upcoming show, which you can find embedded below.

Members of the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Sam Clemmett (Albus Severus Potter), Jamie Parker (Harry Potter), Anthony Boyle (Scorpius Malfoy), and Poppy Miller (Ginny Potter) – attended the 2018 Actors Fund Gala on May 14 at the New York Marriott Marquis. The event was attended by numerous Broadway stars, as well as producers and directors. Broadway.com posted a full photo gallery from the gala, and you can find it here.

Finally, Colin Callender, one of the producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, gave a video interview to Gold Derby about two more projects he’s producing: the television adaptations of Howards End and Little Women. (The latter also stars Sir Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore)!) Callender spoke about both adaptations, discussing what it was like to explore the stories over the course of multiple episodes, rather than for the length of a film. Gold Derby adds that Callender found relevance in both Howards End and Little Women, as well.

Callender believes that both works have a cultural relevance and a timeliness that he never could have predicted. Callender explains, ‘This notion of young women navigating the challenges of a male-dominated world is right at the core of the drama, and of course, that couldn’t be more current or sadly, more front page.’

You can watch Callender’s interview below.

Those were this week’s casting updates! Be sure to come back next week for even more of MuggleNet’s Casting News. Until then, let us know what you’re most looking forward to in the comments below!