Castium Revelio: It’s Set to Be a Busy Festive Season

First up this week is a short film starring Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), titled Bus Girl. It's written by actress Jessica Henwick (The Matrix Resurrections) and is shot entirely on smartphones. The film is set in a posh London restaurant, while the plot is inspired by Henwick's love of trying new recipes. In an interview with British GQ, she described how the film almost didn't happen, but we're very glad it did! Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think.

Next up, we're traveling to Wales for another trailer, this time featuring Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) and Samantha Morton (Mary Lou Barbone, Fantastic Beasts). They star alongside each other in Sky's upcoming film Save the Cinema. As the title suggests, the story focuses on a town's beloved but struggling cinema and the townspeople's efforts to stop it from being demolished. Liz and Richard (Morton and Felton, respectively) hatch a plan involving dinosaurs to try and put a stop to the cinema's destruction. Take a peek at the action with the trailer below!

We're heading off to the mountains next, as Channel 4 has announced its Christmas Day animation! The Abominable Snow Baby – in which Dame Julie Walters (Molly Weasley) plays Granny – is based on a short story by Terry Pratchett. It tells the tale of a small village that finds itself playing host to a huge snow baby. Granny and her grandson Albert must find a way to make the community accept him as one of their own. Let us know if you'll be tuning in to watch it while opening your presents!

Alfonso Cuarón (director of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) is set to journey back into the world of television next year. He will act as writer, director, and executive producer for Disclaimer, a new Apple show starring Cate Blanchett (Ocean's 8) and Kevin Kline (Beauty and the Beast). It surrounds a journalist whose work is all about exposing institutions who finds herself in the middle of a story that brings up details from her past that she would rather forget.

Speaking of the past, a quick trip back to 1971 would bring us to the premiere of the film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof. John Williams (composer of the first three Harry Potter films) won his first Oscar for his part in adapting the original score, and to mark its 50th anniversary, he has approved a fully remastered version of the soundtrack. The new version will not only include restored versions of all the songs but will also feature some alternate versions and pieces of the underscore for you to enjoy!

We've got to travel even further into the past for our next project, which stars Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley), Toby Jones (Dobby), Timothy Spall (Peter Pettigrew), and Simon McBurney (Kreacher). It's a historical fiction horror called The Pale Blue Eye set in the 1830s, surrounding a string of murders at a military school. A detective – played by Christian Bale – discovers an underground world at the school that centers around one cadet in particular: Edgar Allen Poe. We already knew that Melling would be playing Poe, but the others were recently announced as his co-stars.

Sticking with Timothy Spall, Spencer is set for DVD and Blu-ray release on January 11, 2022. He plays Alistair Gregory in the movie, which is based on the life of Princess Diana. It focuses especially on a Christmas break in Sandringham Castle after rumors of affairs and a divorce from Prince Charles were on the horizon. It was released in theaters on November 5, 2021, but now you'll be able to watch all the drama curled up on your couch at home!

"Spencer" will be released on DVD on January 11, 2021. (Credit: Neon/Topic Studios)

While some may like to spend their holidays in a castle, lots of Brits travel to Hemsby Beach in Norfolk, England. Ralph Ineson (Amycus Carrow) has recently been spotted filming there. He's believed to have been filming for a short film about men's mental health that will be released at some point next year, although we're not certain. The crew of around 30 was seen shooting on the beach on Monday morning, even stopping in at the local Hemsby Beach Cafe for a break. Of course, the cafe's owners had to get a picture with Ineson! 

From Sandringham, the next stop on our tour is Ireland, for Sir Kenneth Branagh's (Gilderoy Lockhart) semi-autobiographical film, Belfast. The film tells the story of a young boy growing up in a working-class family in Belfast during the 1960s. It's already won several awards, including the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Stockholm International Film Festival. Recently, however, it won yet another. This time it's the Vanguard Award at Palm Springs Film Festival! The award is a group honor, celebrating the creative collaboration of a film project between its cast and crew. Congratulations to Branagh for the award!

Speaking of awards, David Bradley (Filch) has also been rewarded with another win. His performance in Roy won him the Best Actor award at the first-ever British Short Film Awards. Bertie Gilbert (Scorpius Malfoy) also took away an award. He's directed seven short films, with his most recent, Please Care, winning him the Best British Director award at the ceremony. Congratulations to both for their wins!

Next up, we're heading to the dark side for a meeting with a whole host of Spider-Man villains. In preparation for Spider-Man: No Way Home, more posters have been released, highlighting the bad guys of the movie. The three posters depict Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and Electro (played by Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, and Jamie Foxx, respectively). Some villains have been left out of this trilogy of posters, however, including Rhys Ifans's (Xenophilius Lovegood) Lizard. Which villain are you most excited to see make their return to the Marvel universe?

Staying with the theme of superheroes, we're taking a trip to the DC universe next. In a recently released video from the set of Peacemaker, we can start to see how the relationship between John Cena's Peacemaker and Freddie Stroma's (Cormac McLaggen) Vigilante will play out. The two are presented in the clip as inseparable best friends, with small interviews from both Stroma and Cena. Have a peek at the clip and let us know what you think!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We're diving back into the mysterious world of Game of Thrones next, but don't get too excited. Rumors have circulated about a prequel series entitled The Long Night that would have reunited Toby Regbo and Jamie Campbell Bower (teenage Dumbledore and Grindelwald, respectively). However, after a $30 million pilot episode didn't live up to expectations, the show was axed by HBO. Are you sad about the show's failure to make it onto our screens?

We're hoping to be transported to another world soon, with Stephen Fry (narrator of the UK audiobooks) back in the narrating chair. He's working alongside Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton) and the London Symphony Orchestra to create a magical retelling of Sleeping Beauty. The audio drama can be heard exclusively on Audible, joining its ever-growing list of children's fantastical tales.

We've got another trailer to share with you now! Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) will star in Good Sam, a medical drama about his character's return to work after being in a coma. He must face the fact that he is no longer in charge as he once was, instead having to report to his daughter (played by Sophia Bush). Recently, a second trailer that highlights even more of the show's drama has been released. Check it out below!

Are you a fan of Dreamworks's Fast and Furious Spy Racers? If so, you're in luck, as Netflix has recently announced the show's sixth season! Unfortunately, this will be the last season of the show. However, we have been promised that the show will go out with a bang, as this season will be supersized to match the occasion. The show follows a group of teenage street racers – including Luke Youngblood's (Lee Jordan) Frostee – as they try to infiltrate a criminal gang. It will be released on December 17, 2021.

From ending shows to ones that are just starting, we've got a new Apple TV+ show to announce. Peter Mullan (Yaxley) will be featured in a show called Liason. It's a fast-paced thriller that explores how our past can affect our futures, showing both the advantages and disadvantages of this. The story will be told in a fusion of English and Spanish, with themes of love and espionage coming together to form the plot.

Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Roger Davies) has recently been interviewed about his role in the recently released horror series Ragdoll. The series is based on Lloyd-Hughes's character, DS Rose, as he tries to stop a killer in his tracks before more lives are taken. He talks about the pros and cons of filming in London and mentions one particularly memorable day on set. He also describes the lessons he'll take away from his time as DS Rose, speaking about how he "got to do more in one character than I have in anything else I've ever done" while playing the detective.

Do you remember when we told you about Eddie Redmayne's (Newt Scamander) role as the Emcee in Cabaret? Well, we've now got a picture of him in action! The photo depicts him alongside costar Jessie Buckley (The Courier), both dressed in their costumes for the show. The play retells the well-known tale of a love triangle set in Germany during the rise of the Nazis. You can have a look at the picture below!

This photo features Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne in costume for "Cabaret." (Credit: Marc Brenner)

We're returning to the superhero underworld next for a spin-off series starring Colin Farrell (Percival Graves). He'll travel back to Gotham City to reprise his role as the Penguin in a rumored spin-off of the upcoming film The Batman. He'll also act as an executive producer for the series, which will reportedly center around the Penguin's rise to power in the criminal world. We don't know when it will be released, but we do know that you'll be able to catch it on HBO Max. Keep checking back for more information about the series!

Next up on our global tour, we're landing in Japan to tell the true story of war photographer W. Eugene Smith, who captured the effects of mercury poisoning on coastal communities. Johnny Depp (who played Gellert Grindelwald in the first two Fantastic Beasts films) stars as Smith in the movie, with fellow Wizarding World alum Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour, Harry Potter) appearing alongside him. The film's American release has taken its time due to Depp's recent lawsuits, but we're happy it finally happened! Will you be hoping to catch it in theaters?

Cursed Child writer Jack Thorne has been creating a new show. He's written the upcoming BBC drama Then Barbara Met Alan. It's based on the true story of two disabled cabaret performers – Barbara Lisicki and Alan Holdsworth – who met at a gig in 1989. The show will tell the story of the pair's teamwork as they drive a campaign that pushes for the rights of disabled actors. There's no official release date yet, but we'll keep you updated as more reports are released!

Last up this week is a trip to Vienna. Leopoldstadt, written by Tom Stoppard, is set in the Jewish quarter of Vienna during the Holocaust, where we meet an upper-class Jewish family. The play follows their journey through the war. It debuted in London in 2020, but it will now see its North American debut at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre early next year. Neil Austin (lighting designer) and Sonia Friedman (producer) have teamed up again to work on the play. Are you hoping to catch it?