Castium Revelio: Returning Roles for Queen Imelda and Eddie the Emcee
by Neave Williamson · October 28, 2023
Welcome to October’s edition of MuggleNet’s Casting News! While Halloween in the wizarding world means treats from Honeydukes and tricks from Zonko’s, here in the Muggle world, we’re celebrating with a new horror film starring Peter Mullan, new singles for Jamie Campbell Bower and Samantha Morton, and a plethora of pictures, posters, and trailers from the final season of The Crown. Castium Revelio!
First up, though, we've got some personal news from Josh Herdman (Gregory Goyle). He recently announced on Instagram that he got married! He tied the knot with his wife in August, and by the looks of the photos he posted, it was a lovely ceremony.
We've also got a couple of big awards to share, the first of which has been given to director David Yates. He's been named the winner of this year's Raindance Icon Award! He was presented the award at the Raindance Film Festival's opening gala in London on October 25.
Meanwhile, Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle) has been named the recipient of BAFTA Scotland's Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television award. She will be given the award at a ceremony on November 19. She said receiving the accolade was "overwhelming and lovely all at the same time."
Now that we're caught up with awards, let's get into some projects that are better suited to the spooky season. Blue Eye Samurai is a violent and gory new animated series from Netflix following a sword master who disguises herself and hunts for revenge against those who killed her mother. Sir Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart) is set to play one of the hunted in the series, which drops on Netflix on November 3. Check out the trailer below!
Peter Mullan (Yaxley) is also getting into the horror season. He's set to play a currently unnamed role in Baghead, a ghost film based on a short of the same name that explores the concept of asking a final question to a loved one who has passed away. The film is currently in post-production, with an expected streaming service debut at some point in February.
Moving into the world of thrillers, we've got information on one set to star Lee Ingleby (Stan Shunpike). The Cuckoo centers around a family who takes in a lodger during a time of financial hardship. It soon becomes apparent, however, that their new housemate is causing more harm than good. The series is currently filming on location in Ireland and will air on Channel 5 in the UK in 2024.
Director Alfonso Cuarón isn't focussing on horror this season. Instead, he's dropped a trailer for his upcoming short film The Shepherd, which will debut on Disney+ on December 1. The film follows a young pilot who finds himself in a dangerous situation when all of his electrics cut out as he is flying home. Luckily for him, a rescue pilot appears at just the right moment. You can check out the trailer below.
Next up, we've got two Wizarding World alums returning to put a new spin on old projects. The first is Jeff Rawle (Amos Diggory). He and the rest of the original cast of Drop the Dead Donkey are bringing the classic British sitcom to stages across the United Kingdom with a new show called Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening. The tour will run from the end of January to the end of June next year.
The second is David Tennant (Barty Crouch Jr.). We all know he's returning to Doctor Who to play the Fourteenth Doctor, but it was announced earlier this month that he will also be taking us all on a journey through the show's history in a new documentary called Talking Doctor Who. The documentary will air on November 1 on BBC Four.
Jamie Campbell Bower (young Gellert Grindelwald) is moving on to new things. He released a brand-new song called "Heaven in Your Eyes" on October 20. The song also features Tom Yankton and Mikey Demus, who found fame as part of the rock band Skindred. Check out the music video and song below.
We've got a whole range of material from Buckingham Palace next. Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge) will return to The Crown to play the late Queen Elizabeth II for the show's final season, which will be released in two parts. The first part will be released on November 16, while the second part will be released roughly a month later on December 14. Check out some of the posters, images, clips, and trailers that have been released over the last month below.
Samantha Morton (Mary Lou Barebone) is joining Campbell Bower in the world of music. She's released her first-ever singles! She dropped two songs, called "Hunger Hill Road" and "Ghosts Are Dancing," on limited-edition vinyl records under the name Sam Morton.
While Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander) isn't releasing his own music, he is re-entering the world of musicals. He'll reprise his award-winning role as the Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club as the show takes to Broadway! The show will play at the Austin Wilson Theatre from April 1, 2024, to March 29, 2025, though Redmayne will be continuing his role as the Emcee only until August 31, 2024.
Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski) is making a guest appearance in an older project. He's set to be featured in Season 12 of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, which is coming back to television after its last season aired in 2015. The release date for the show's five-episode revival season is November 26.
Producer Sonia Friedman has announced a new play! Her company will produce The Hills of California, a play set in 1970s Blackpool during the driest summer on record. The show will play at the Harold Pinter Theatre on the West End from January 27, 2024, for a limited run. The full cast is yet to be announced, but tickets went on sale earlier this month.
Last but certainly not least this month is an announcement from Jack Thorne (co-writer of Cursed Child). Like Friedman, he's gotten involved in a new project. Legendary Entertainment has gained the rights to The Alchemist, the international bestselling novel by Paolo Coelho, and has already brought Thorne on as a screenwriter. The story centers on an Andalusian shepherd boy who longs to travel and search for treasure.
That’s a wrap on this month’s Casting News! Congratulations again to those who have been given awards. Which of these projects do you think have the possibility of earning some in the future? Let us know in the comments below.
