Castium Revelio: Let Us Entertain You

As we let you know last year, Sir Colin Callender (producer, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) is rebooting longtime public television series All Creatures Great and Small for PBS and BBC's Masterpiece, but it's since come to light that Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) will be among the cast!

While Lewis isn't listed on the IMDb docket, PBS reports he will be featured as Hugh Helton, a wealthy landowner and rival of iconic veterinarian James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph). Lewis chats about the project with rugby star Adam Cuthbertson on Cuthbertson's podcast, The Lockdown, which you can check out below (just jump to 59:20), and you can also catch a glimpse of Lewis in the Twitter teaser. Just ignore the part about "coming to your screens in 2020." They didn't know.

 

 

 

All Creatures Great and Small is coming to your screens in 2020. Here's a small taste of what's to come. #ACGAS pic.twitter.com/pjjVXnOUEV

— Channel 5 (@channel5_tv) December 5, 2019

 

As for Callender's plans for the reboot, Current reports the producer said this week during a virtual Television Critics Association press tour that he will be giving the series a more "contemporary sensibility" while continuing to root it in the 1930s. The series is based on Herriot's best-selling novels, and Callender promised Herriot's children "that we would remain faithful to the books, the spirit of the books, and the intent of the books." He does plan, however, to expand the role of the female characters.

We felt the psychological underpinning of the characters could be explored more fully. We felt the role of women in this society could be dramatized more fully. [...] There's an enormous fan base for the books. I think within minutes of turning on, you will accept this cast wholeheartedly and embrace them fully as the characters they play. The two shows can live comfortably and respectfully side by side.

All Creatures Great and Small is set to premiere in January 2021.

World Animal Protection and the Campaign to End Wildlife Trade have penned an open letter to the United Kingdom government that calls for a ban on the wild animal trade in light of the pandemic. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being urged to encourage other international leaders to stop the exploitation of wildlife, and the letter was signed by a number of celebrities, including Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood). Lynch posted about the effort last month on Instagram, and you can check that post out below. To get involved, visit World Animal Protection's website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi friends, If you have 2 minutes, take a look at this video by @world_animal_protection_uk that shows what animals go through for the wildlife trade AND the undeniable risks the global wildlife trade poses to human health. Please sign the petition to end the global wildlife trade forever, at the link in my bio. 📝⁣ ⁣ As many of us are starting to emerge from lockdown and feeling anxious about taking these next steps back into society, it feels imperative to consider the steps we can take to prevent another outbreak and how the exploitation of animals plays a huge part in that. The best scientific evidence suggests the virus was transferred from bats to pangolins to humans, demonstrating that the exploitation of wildlife is fundamentally linked to this global pandemic. 🦠⁣ ⁣ More than 70% of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases come from wild animals. Our demand for and exploitation of wildlife causes suffering, exposes us to disease and puts us all at risk. That’s why I’m supporting this petition calling on UK government and other world leaders of the #G20 summit in November to end the global wildlife trade, forever. Wild animals belong in the wild. I’d be very grateful if you could join me and 24 leading animal protection groups, by adding your support at the link in my bio! For more information on this campaign and ways to help, do check out worldanimalprotection.org.uk ⁣ ⁣ #EndWildLifeTrade #BuildBackBetter

A post shared by Evanna Lynch (@msevylynch) on Jul 3, 2020 at 7:53am PDT

 

We've done our waiting, that's for darned sure. And now, it looks as though we might finally have the opportunity to see Gary Oldman (Sirius Black) in The Woman in the Window. It was originally scheduled for an October 4, 2019, theatrical release, then pushed back to May 15, then lost altogether to the uncertainty of the times, but Variety now says Netflix is in early negotiations to purchase the thriller, which also stars Amy Adams. Considering everyone has watched everything on Netflix by now, the streaming service has been working to snap up new fare and has already purchased The Trial of the Chicago 7, starring Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander, Fantastic Beasts), with plans to release it on October 16. Let's celebrate that news with a couple of Redmayne production stills!

 

 

 

Speaking of waiting, we'll apparently be doing a lot more before we ever see David Thewlis (Remus Lupin) in the new Avatar sequels. Thewlis has told the Independent that if production continues to be postponed, schedules will begin to conflict and "some of the principal cast won't be able to finish them as they are already committed to other projects," not indicating whether he includes himself in that statement. The sequel series was first announced nearly a decade ago, with the first installment expected in 2014. Production issues were the original cause of delays, but obviously, the pandemic has joined the fray. Director James Cameron said last month, however, that the first sequel should be ready for release in December 2022, with the remaining films following in two-year intervals. Filming has resumed in New Zealand, thanks to that country's success with curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Thewlis also touched briefly on his time as the much-loved Professor Lupin, saying he expects "the 'Harry Potter' connection to be in my life forever. It's the nature of it."

But I've been very lucky. I get recognised, but I've not suffered too much. It's not a hassle in my life. I've never been tabloid famous. Sometimes I walk round London for a week and no one bats an eyelid. [...] It's lovely [when fans do stop him]. It's a really nice way to make children happy. Then you realise how much those films mean to people. As time goes on, it's something I'm incredibly proud to have been part of. It was life-changing for a lot of people.

Christopher Nolan's upcoming blockbuster Tenet, starring Sir Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart), Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory), and Clémence Poésy (Fleur Delacour), has received permission for a September 4 release in China – following its August 26 release in most other countries – and an exclusive trailer was subsequently released for the Chinese market. Nolan himself introduces the trailer, and it gives us yet another glimpse into the film's mysterious, inverted time twists. Check it out below!

 

 

 

There's no black comedy like a British black comedy, and a new one is on its way, starring Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley)! Say Your Prayers also stars Roger Allam (Endeavour), Sir Derek Jacobi (Murder on the Orient Express), and Anna Maxwell Martin (Good Omens) and is set for a video-on-demand release in September. Melling is featured as Tim, one of two orphaned brothers raised by Father Enoch (Jacobi). The story unfolds at a literary festival, where a controversial secularist is scheduled to make an appearance. As it happens, Enoch has instructed Tim and brother Vic (Tom Brooke) to kill said secularist. Typical literary festival. We'll let you know as soon as a specific release date is set.

In other Melling news, we've been keeping our eyes on The Devil All the Time since Pattinson's involvement was announced in early 2019. Melling signed on later to the film about the psychological effects of World War II on people in 1960s Ohio. The two – portraying Preston Teagardin and Roy Laferty, respectively, alongside Tom Holland's Arvin Russell – will finally hit screens via Netflix on September 16, and a few first-look images were released last week. Unfortunately, none of them features Melling, but you can check out Pattinson's still below.

 

 

Remember The King's Man, starring Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort)? Ah, another victim of the Great Delay. The film is currently scheduled, however, for a September 16 UK theater release – September 18 in the US – provided theaters become a thing again in a month. Director Matthew Vaughn has been generating interest by revealing to Empire that, while the movie is obviously a glimpse into the origins of the Kingsman organization, it will also set up important events for the impending Kingsman 3.

We've put seeds for what's going to happen in 'Kingsman 3' all the way back into this. And it's going to be very different.

Empire also premiered a few new photos from The King's Man, including the one below of Fiennes being a complete and total badass. You're welcome.

 

 

Fiennes will also, BroadwayWorld has announced, be taking on the role of playwright David Hare in an extremely relevant new play. Beat the Devil will follow Hare's experience of contracting, then recovering from, COVID-19. Tentative plans include a two-week run in August at the Bridge Theatre in London. Keep an eye on the Bridge's website for the latest.

Fifty-seven-year-old Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) thinks his 16-year-old self would be most surprised to hear that he is, quite simply, alive and kicking. "That I manage to find simple happiness in simple things," he tells the Big Issue. "Not always, not perfectly, but enough."

Isaacs opened up to the magazine about his struggles with addiction, which began with the first time he got drunk at age 12.

I've always had an addictive personality, and by the age of 16, I'd already passed through drink and was getting started on a decades-long love affair with drugs. Every action was filtered through a burning need I had for being as far from a conscious, thinking, feeling person as possible. No message would get through for nearly 20 years.

We're so glad he's the conscious, thinking, feeling person he is today. Because we might not be making it through this pandemic without his social media accounts. Meanwhile, Emergency Skin, a novelette by N.K. Jemisin published last year by Amazon Original Stories, has won the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Short Novelette. Isaacs narrates the audiobook about an explorer gathering information from an Earth abandoned long ago by his ancestors, who fled as climate-fueled disasters ravaged the planet. Amazon Original Stories collections are offered free of charge to all Prime members and Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

Speaking to the Evening Express prior to participating in a BAFTA panel last week, Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) discussed her turn as Princess Margaret on The Crown and the impending inevitability that will be handing over the reins to another actress on a show where the characters age appropriately as time goes by. Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge) will be taking over the role of Queen Elizabeth when the series moves into Seasons 5 and 6.

It's like handing a baton; it's like this race we are all running. [...] And it's conspicuous, you know. People are going to watch it, which is a great gift. I've done lots of things no one has seen. With Leslie [Manville, the next Princess Margaret], I feel like I should hand her the cigarette holder that I use as a baton - 'Over to you!' She's going to have a great time with her, and I'm chuffed it's her; she's a great actress, and she will have great fun.

In Staunton news, the 15th Seoul International Drama Awards, set for September 8–13, have announced their nominees, and she's among them! Staunton is up for Best Actress honors for her performance in the UK miniseries Flesh and Blood. Best of luck to her!

Misbehaviour, which MuggleNet let you know about in March, will be receiving a wide release in select theaters and video on demand on September 25. You can check out a new trailer for the tale of the 1970 Miss World competition, starring Rhys Ifans (Xenophilius Lovegood) as Eric Morely, below.

 

 

 

Fans of the Manic Street Preachers will be interested to learn that frontman James Dean Bradfield is ushering in his second solo effort, Even in Exile, with the help of a new three-part podcast titled Inspired by Jara. The content is very specific, focusing on the protest songs of Chilean musician Victor Jara, and noted protester Dame Emma Thompson (Sybill Trelawney) will be joining Bradfield on the podcast's second episode on August 12. You can tune in on the platform of your choice.

As has been the case with most other festivals around the world, the Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF) in Galway, Ireland, was called off this summer, but the Irish Times reports festival organizers have planned a rebound effort for autumn. The GIAF is now set to open September 3, and a small audience – the number will depend on social-distancing guidelines – will be treated to a one-night-only performance of the new Enda Walsh play, Medicine, starring Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley), on September 26 at the Black Box Theatre. Medicine, the Times says, "examines society's response to mental health concerns while deconstructing the fabric of theatrical performance." Tickets for the performance are scheduled to go on sale Monday.

Elsewhere on the salvaged festival front, the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) in Edinburgh, Scotland, will feature new work created behind closed doors during the pandemic and scheduled to be released online over the festival's three-week run, the Scotsman reports. The whole thing launches tonight with a screening on BBC Scotland and YouTube of a one-hour film celebrating the 73-year history of the festival, which features an appearance from Fiona Shaw (Petunia Dursley). Check out the lineup on the EIF's website and watch it all on the festival's YouTube channel.

More than 200 artists worldwide have signed a public statement calling for the release of Egyptian film editor Sanaa Seif, who was arrested last month in Cairo, Egypt, as she arrived at a public prosecutor's office to file a complaint as a victim of a physical assault and robbery that occurred the day before in front of the Tora prison complex. Seif is being held in pretrial detention, a method frequently used by the Egyptian authorities to keep people behind bars for extended periods of time with no conviction. Among those signing the statement are Miranda Richardson (Rita Skeeter) and Simon McBurney (voice of Kreacher). To learn more, visit Freedom for Sanaa.

If we had access to a TARDIS, we'd be doing a lot more partying with William Shakespeare than Doctor Who ever has. But as Doctor Who Watch lets us know, the First Doctor – as portrayed by David Bradley (Argus Filch) – will be meeting up with the Bard to kick off Doctor Who: The First Doctor Adventures, Volume 5, next spring.

The First Doctor and his crew will be featured in the audio tales The Hollow Crown and Tick-Tock World in April 2021, with the former featuring the Shakespearean meet-up. You can check out the official synopsis below.

When the TARDIS lands in Shoreditch, 1601, the Doctor suggests going to see a play at the Globe, and his friends readily agree. But this is a turbulent time. There is violence in the street, plots against the Queen, and rebellion is in the air. At the centre of it all stands the most famous playwright in British history – William Shakespeare. Who is having troubles of his own. As tensions mount, and wheels turn within wheels, the travellers are about to discover if the play really is the thing...

Bradley says he's excited to be working again with his castmates, which include Jamie Glover as Ian, Jemma Powell as Barbara, and Claudia Grant as Susan.

I like this team; Jamie, Jemma, Claudia and me, we work well as a group. And we work well socially as a group. We just like each other. We seem to have a shared sense of humour, and it's the perfect balance, really. I think this business works best when you take the work seriously but not yourself.

Volume 5 of The First Doctor Adventures is available for preorder now in digital or CD format.

In other Bradley news, MuggleNet let you know last year that the actor would be reprising his role as Merlin in the final installment of DreamWorks's Tales of Arcadia trilogy, Wizards, and said series has finally arrived on Netflix! Wizards hit the streaming service Friday, and you can check out a quick clip below before streaming away.

 

 

 

Two of Leigh Bardugo's fantasy series – the Grisha trilogy and Six of Crows duology – are being combined into a new Netflix show: Shadow and Bone. Zoë Wanamaker (Madam Hooch) is on tap to portray Baghra. Ben Barnes stars as General Kirigan (the Darkling), so now we have another reason to be jealous of Wanamaker other than the fact that she got to wear those excellent yellow contacts in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Shadow and Bone, fortunately, wrapped filming in February in Budapest, so while there's no release date as yet, we can hope to see one soon. Barnes spoke this week with Collider and gave a summary of the series that should make it even more appealing to MuggleNet readers.

I've read most of the books, and I was really excited to make it because I think there's so many things that are really exciting to see realized on a screen, in a way that's reminiscent, for me, of 'Harry Potter' or 'His Dark Materials', like when you read about the [H]ouse colors and you want to see how they really look and how the powers are going to be represented on screen. [...] The reason that the books are mixed together is because 'Shadow and Bone' is a little bit more YA feeling, skews a little bit younger, and is more straight-up fantasy. It feels a bit like 'Harry Potter' and 'Anna Karenina' mixed together. But then 'Six of Crows' is more of a heist thing that's more of a 'Peaky Blinders' and 'Ocean's 11' world. So the tone sits somewhere in the middle, and I think that's potentially quite exciting.

MuggleNet showed you plenty of photos back in February of Hero Fiennes-Tiffin (11-year-old Tom Riddle) taking his throne as the face of Salvatore Ferragamo's new fragrance campaign, but guess what? We're going to show you a few more photos anyway! We doubt we'll hear any complaints. Fiennes-Tiffin spoke this week to Love about the campaign and a few childhood memories. As for the campaign, it seems that, given his druthers, Fiennes-Tiffin would have had the new fragrance smell of "bacon in the pan first thing in the morning." Can we buy that at Sephora?

When asked what advice he would offer his younger self, Fiennes-Tiffin replied, "Don't listen to dad about not going to school because you don't need to. And I think just worry less; it's all going to be all right." You listen here, young man. Sure, it's all going to be all right if your uncles are named Ralph and Joseph Fiennes and you break into movies as a tot, but for the rest of us... eh, forget the lecture. Nobody's going to school right now, anyway.

Speaking of his dad, Fiennes-Tiffin says the scent of his father's aftershave reminds him of home, that petrol from a running car is the first smell he can remember, and that smells are what tend to always evoke his sense of nostalgia. He also shared his method for getting into character.

It kind of depends on the role, but I think generally, for me, I just need a bit of alone time, and if I've prepped the character well enough, I don't need too much time to get into the headspace because it's all kind of up there. [...] I think it's more about the prep time than the ten minutes before you shoot.

In case you were worried about John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick), don't be. The Toronto Sun has checked in on him, and as a lifelong introvert, he's fine.

I don't want to annoy anyone, but I'm an introvert, you see. And the main problem for an introvert is getting overstimulated because they always have a lot going in their minds anyway. Extroverts get bored. Introverts get overloaded. So being on your own – not much danger that you're going to get overloaded.

The veteran comedian recently livestreamed his latest show, Why There Is No Hope, from London, and while it's no longer live (perhaps you could say it's ceased to be... it is an ex-livestream), you can still give it a watch by purchasing 48-hour access to the show on Cleese's website.

The Disciple, written and directed by Chaitanya Tamhane, is the first Indian movie to score a Venice Film Festival competition slot since 2001, and Deadline Hollywood reports Alfonso Cuarón (director, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) has signed on to executive produce. The film follows a man who finds himself questioning his life's devotion to becoming an Indian classical music vocalist. Tamhane and Cuarón met through an internship program, and Cuarón says he "jumped at the opportunity to be part of the process of his second film. I believe Chaitanya is one of the most important new voices of contemporary cinema." The Venice Film Festival will run September 2–12 and will be the first major film festival since the pandemic began to be held in person.

UK-based mental health charity Mind held an exclusive digital event recently during which the organization's president, Stephen Fry (narrator, UK Harry Potter audiobooks), spoke about his own mental health over the course of the pandemic. Fry also touched on some of Mind's outreach efforts over the past few months and its plans for the future, offering up three simple tips to help cope in these trying times: "Give yourself permission to 'fail'." "Allow yourself to float a lot more." "Give yourself permission to flow." To explore the resources available from Mind, visit the charity's website.

We've been talking about The Capture for over a year now (mainly because every time we do, we get to look at pictures of Callum Turner (Theseus Scamander)), but the series – which originally premiered in September 2019 on the BBC – is now available for streaming in the United States on Peacock, NBC Universal's new platform. A new audience means new interviews, and Turner spoke with Collider last week about his role as soldier Shaun Emery.

Shaun is someone who I could know. I haven't played anyone from London, really. I haven't played anyone from where I grew up, and I felt immediately connected to him because of that, and I wanted to go on the journey as Shaun. There's an element of someone trying to retrieve his soul I found in Shaun. [...] What's interesting about Shaun is that he's someone that can't hold stuff in, so it's measuring that with his idea that he wants to become someone else now, and he wants to evolve as a human being, and he has to stop himself saying what he would normally say. [...] So that was a fun thing to play with – when the explosive energy was gonna come out and what it would have been like for Shaun before, when he would allow all of that stuff to come out. It was about trying to work out how someone retrains their brain. It was a fun experiment.

Turner noted that, while a second season has been announced, he wouldn't be returning, as his character's "journey is over, as far as what he can do." He also spoke briefly about the Fantastic Beasts series and how being involved in such a massive franchise compares to other, smaller roles.

It was pretty big, but the thing about that and the genius of [director] David [Yates] is that he creates such an ambient vibe on set, so you don't feel like you're part of a franchise that's famous all around the world. It's only when you promote it that it hits you. But I loved doing those films. I had so much fun doing those films. [...] I love to do different things all the time. I like to change it up. I started off, my first thing in America was 'Green Room', and then I went to do 'War & Peace', which was a period piece and completely opposite. I want to keep doing that and working with directors that I enjoy. That's where the fun is for me. That's how I want to evolve.

As our regular readers know, we've followed Waiting for the Barbarians, starring Johnny Depp (Gellert Grindelwald), Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory, Harry Potter), and Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley, Harry Potter) from start to finish, and the film is now widely available for streaming as of Friday. Reviews are largely positive, Depp is largely unnerving as all get-out in those steampunk shades, and you can view the trailer below if you'd like a sneak peek before renting.

 

 

 

It's definitely safe to say that things didn't go according to plan for Jude Law's (Albus Dumbledore) The Third Day. Those plans were grand, with the show originally scheduled to play out in three parts: two on television and one as an immersive live event before a theater audience. We all know how this story ends. So HBO took up the cause and will now air the production on both its channel and the HBO Max streaming service September 14. In case you've forgotten after all this time, you can check out the official synopsis and a brand-new trailer below.

The show is divided into two parts: 'Summer' and 'Winter'. In 'Summer', one man (Law) visits a mysterious island off the British coast and discovers a group of inhabitants intent on preserving their home at any cost. In the second half, a.k.a. 'Winter', a strong-willed outsider (Naomi Harris) comes to the island seeking answers – but instead causes a battle to decide its fate.

 

 

 

There was bad news on the Zoë Kravitz (Leta Lestrange) front this week as Hulu announced her series reboot of High Fidelity would not be renewed for a second season. Deadline Hollywood reports the decision "was not easy and came after lengthy deliberations," as the first season received critical praise. Deadline also says a move to another streaming service is not likely. Kravitz shared a personal message to her television family on Instagram, noting that "#breakupssuck."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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i wanna give a shout out to my #highfidelity family. thank you for all the love and heart you put into this show. i'm in awe of all of you. and thank you to everyone who watched, loved and supported us. ✌🏽 #breakupssuck

A post shared by Zoë Kravitz (@zoeisabellakravitz) on Aug 5, 2020 at 7:25pm PDT

 

Many of us knew Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski) as a geek extraordinaire before we knew him as the affable Jacob, and true to form, he's now celebrating the release of his recently authored 1990s-esque graphic novel Brooklyn Gladiator. The actor sat down with MEA WorldWide to discuss his comics, The Walking Dead, and Fantastic Beasts.

You can look back at our previous coverage of Brooklyn Gladiator for the basics, but Fogler discussed with MEA why he chose to make his protagonist, John Miller, an addict.

It makes him more human. I like a good flawed hero. He was duped like everyone else by a government who flooded the streets with the most addictive 'cure all' drug ever. Plus, ever since he lost his fiancée, Hope, he went off the deep end. He almost died getting sober, and it's something that haunts him daily. That's real, and it helps ground his character in a very sci-fi world reminiscent of [Tom] Cruise in 'Minority Report'.

On the subject of Season 10 of The Walking Dead, in which Fogler portrays Luke, he provided a tidbit about his character's new weapon in what he promises will be an "epic" season finale: "I loved all the battle scenes, and I'm putting this out there: My new weapon's name is 'Rickenbacker', after Pete Townsend's guitar."

Fogler didn't have much to say about Beasts that we haven't already heard, but he's hoping along with the rest of us that delayed filming will begin on schedule.

All I can say is I read the script, and I'm super excited to finally get started. We're supposed to begin shooting again end of summer. I'm crossing my fingers that we stay on target for that schedule, which will allow us enough time to still hit the original release date.

We introduced you previously to Kevin Guthrie's (Abernathy) satirical comedy Boyz in the Wood, but after being nabbed by Amazon Prime Video, the movie – which also stars Eddie Izzard – underwent a name change. Get Duked!, as it is now known, will be released August 28, and you can view the synopsis and new trailer below. The movie is rated R, so... keep that in mind before watching the trailer!

Dean, Duncan, and DJ Beatroot are teenage pals from Glasgow who embark on the character-building camping trip – based on a real-life program – known as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, where foraging, teamwork, and orienteering are the order of the day. Eager to cut loose and smoke weed in the Scottish Highlands, the trio finds themselves paired with straightlaced Ian, a fellow camper determined to play by the rules. After veering off-path into remote farmland that's worlds away from their urban comfort zone, the boys find themselves hunted down by a shadowy force hell bent on extinguishing their futures.

 

 

 

We'd say that fans of the Hitman video game series would be hearing a familiar voice in the upcoming Hitman 3 title, but unfortunately, Isaura Barbé-Brown (Laurena Kama) didn't have any lines in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. But if you'd like to know what she would have sounded like, Barbé-Brown will be lending her vocal talents to the game as Olivia Hall. Hitman 3 is set for a January 2021 release on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.