Role Call: “High Society” and the Dowager Countess Reign!
This week, our worst fears regarding the end of Downton Abbey might be soothed by some news from the series creator, we get our first look at the Pixels trailer, and catch up with the projects our favorite cast and crew members have signed up for! Take a look!
Kate Fleetwood, who portrayed Mary Cattermole in Part 1 of the Deathly Hallows, will be appearing in a musical called High Society at The Old Vic. Kate will be portraying socialite Tracy Lord with performances beginning on April 30. You can read a synopsis of the play below!
Long Island socialite Tracy Lord is planning her lavish summer wedding when her ex-husband appears to try and win her back. His unwelcome arrival threatens to disrupt proceedings. When tabloid reporter Mike Connor arrives to cover the nuptials, he too takes a shine to the bride-to-be. But which of these three suitors will she choose?
Rumors have swirled and we can finally confirm that the sixth season of Downton Abbey will indeed be its last. Creator Julian Fellowes has hinted, however, that a prequel to the series could very well be in the works, introducing us to a much younger version of the characters fans have come to know and love, including a younger Violet!
Robert Grantham would be in his early teens, Cora would be a child. A young Violet could make an appearance.
He also talked about the experience of filming the series, which is beloved by many all over the world, saying,
The Downton journey has been amazing for everyone aboard. People ask if we knew what was going to happen when we started to make the first series and the answer is that, of course, we had no idea. Exactly why the series had such an impact and reached so many people around the world, all nationalities, all ages, all types, I cannot begin to explain. But I do know how grateful we are to have been allowed this unique experience.
In addition, the Radio Times posted photographs of the cast at the read through of the final season. Take a look below at our favorite Downton actress, Dame Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall), and you can also view the entire series of photos here:
We previously reported that Sir Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart) would be tackling more of the Bard’s work for the new theater season, but last month, he confirmed that famed director Martin Scorsese will be joining the new Macbeth film that is in the works. He spoke with BBC Radio, saying,
We will remount the production and all things being well Mr Scorcese will direct a film version of that production. Fingers are hovering above pieces of paper. Everybody wants to do it, it’s just a question of schedules. I’m very very hopeful it’s going to happen.
Director Chris Columbus (PS/SS, CoS) may be looking forward to the release of his next film, Pixels (you can see the first trailer for the film below!), but he will also be taking on an adaptation of the graphic novel, I Kill Giants. Columbus will produce the project and said in a statement alongside the announcement of the film that he was “excited and proud to finally be able to bring this wonderful material to the screen.”
Gary Oldman‘s (Sirius Black) Child 44 finally has a trailer and clips! A television spot for the film aired at the end of March, full of action and drama. Check out the brief trailer below!
Emma Thompson (Professor Trelawney) and Brendan Gleeson (Mad-Eye Moody) are starring together in a new film, which began shooting on March 25. Alone in Berlin, a book adaptation of the same name and based on a true story, follows a couple in Berlin during World War II as they protest against the Nazi’s. Emma will portray Anna Quangel while Brendan will play opposite as her husband, Otto. The production is set to film in Berlin, Cologne, and Gorlitz, Germany. No release date has yet been set.
Finally, we have our ears to the ground as rumors of two new projects have emerged for the recently-honored Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort)! According to the Daily Mail, Ralph will return to the stage after his run in Man and Superman to star in The Master Builder as architect Halvard Solness at The Old Vic next January. It also appears that he is currently in negotiations to star in an unnamed but “classic” production in late 2016 or early 2017 at the Almeida. Fiennes is also set to return to the set of SPECTRE in May of this year.
That’s all for this week in Casting News – are you heartbroken by the news regarding the end of Downton Abbey? How do you think they will wrap up the series next season? Let us know what you want to see from Downton‘s last season on the air by commenting below!
