Castium Revelio: Reboots and New Pilots

Welcome back to another edition of MuggleNet’s Casting News, your source for the latest information on what our magical alumni have been up to lately! Are you ready to find out what’s new this week? Castium Revelio!

Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) recently posted a promotional clip from his new YouTube Original series, Origin, to his Instagram! Natalia Tena (Nymphadora Tonks) also stars in the series. Check out Tom’s post below!

 

View this post on Instagram

#leaveearth @origin_series

A post shared by Tom Felton (@t22felton) on

 

Origin will premiere on November 14.

Additionally, some of our Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts cast members’ hard work has been recognized by the People’s Choice Awards! The finalists include projects involving Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Gemma Chan (Madam Ya Zhou, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), Toby Jones (voice of Dobby), and Dame Julie Walters (Molly Weasley), plus Emma Watson has been nominated as a Style Star.

The People’s Choice Awards air Sunday, November 11, 2018, at 9 p.m. on E!

Harry Potter
Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) stars in the new drama 55 Steps, also known by the title Eleanor & Colette in some markets. The film, according to Firstshowing, tells “the true story of a woman named Eleanor Riese, a mental illness patient who brought a class action suit to give competent mental patients the right to have a say in their medication while they're in a hospital.”

Watch the trailer and read the official description of the film below.

'55 Steps' is based on the inspiring true story of Eleanor Riese, a mental illness patient herself, who brings a class action suit to give competent mental patients the right to have a say in their medication while they're in a hospital, and Colette Hughes, the lawyer appointed to her case. '55 Steps', also titled 'Eleanor & Colette', is directed by Danish filmmaker Bille August, of many films including 'Zappa', 'Pelle the Conqueror', 'The Best Intentions', 'The House of the Spirits', 'Jerusalem', 'Return to Sender', 'Night Train to Lisbon', and 'Silent Heart' previously, as well as 'The Hidden Soldier'.

 

 

55 Steps will be digitally released on October 16 and released theatrically on November 16.

Christian Coulson (Tom Riddle, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) recorded Roald Dahl’s short story “They Shall Not Grow Old” for the Stephen King–edited audiobook Flight or Fright from Simon & Schuster! Check out the tweet from Simon & Schuster Audio below to find out more!

 

 

Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort) has been cast in the new Kingsman franchise prequel, as previously rumored. The film, currently untitled, ”will be set during World War I and will focus on the man who would be Kingsman: a character to be played by Fiennes,” writes the Daily Mail. It will begin filming early next year.

Additionally, We Got This Covered reports that Fiennes has joined the cast of Holmes & Watson, which stars Jude Law (Albus Dumbledore, Fantastic Beasts). That film will be released on December 21, and you can watch its trailer here.

Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley) has joined the cast of a new HBO pilot titled Run, according to Variety.

The project is described as a romantic-comedic-thriller that follows Ruby, a woman living a humdrum existence, who one day gets a text, inviting her to fulfill a youthful pact promising true love and self-reinvention, by stepping out of her life to take a journey with her oldest flame.

Gleeson will play Billy Johnson, a successful life guru from a wealthy Irish family. Born with the gift of the gab, he deftly combines a boatload of charisma with a boundless need for approval.

David Heyman, producer of the Harry Potter films and the two Fantastic Beasts films, is also behind the new television series The InBetween, through his company Heyday Television. The series now has a new lead following the pick-up of its pilot, reports Deadline Hollywood, with Justin Cornwell replacing Yusuf Gatewood as the series’ main character.

Written by Moira Kirland, 'The InBetween' centers on Cassie Bishop ([Harriet] Dyer) who was born with a gift, though she may call it a curse. She can see and communicate with the dead, helping them with their unresolved problems … whether she likes it or not. When her longtime friend Det. Tom Hackett (Paul Blackthorne) and his new partner, former FBI Agent Damien Asante (Cornwell), need help solving a darkly puzzling murder, Cassie agrees to use her abilities.

Rhys Ifans (Xenophilius Lovegood) opens a new cinema extension in Caernarfon, Wales, today, September 29, according to the North Wales Chronicle. The new project cost £4 million, and it gives the town the only two-screen cinema in its region. The opening marks Ifans’s first public appearance as an ambassador of Film Cymru, and local schools will also take part in the events.

Ifans was quoted about the opening.

The greatest investment we can make as a society is to give people the opportunity to experience the arts, and I am so pleased to be opening the new cinema screens at Galeri.

Film is such a powerful medium which can take us to another world, inspire us with great stories and teach us about the emotions that we all share. This important investment is a fantastic opportunity for the local community to be able to watch the latest films together on their doorstep.

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) appears in the upcoming film Look Away, which is being released on VOD by Verticle Entertainment on October 12. Bloody Disgusting has posted the first images from the film, which is described as a psychological thriller.

Dame Maggie Smith (Professor McGonagall) and Imelda Staunton (Dolores Umbridge) can both be seen in the upcoming Downton Abbey film, which is currently shooting on location in Bath, England. Just Jared has posted some new photos from the film’s set, which include both Smith and Staunton. Smith is set to return as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, while Staunton has been cast in the film in an unknown role.

We previously reported that the Downton Abbey film will be released theatrically in North America on September 20, 2019, via Focus Features, and will be released internationally by Universal Pictures International on September 13, 2019.

Dame Julie Walters (Molly Weasley) will star in the British adaptation of Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book, reports Screen Daily.

Julie Walters is set to star in Marc Munden’s film adaptation of Tove Jansson’s 'The Summer Book' for UK producer Kevin Loader’s Free Range Films.

'The Summer Book' is about a woman who spends the summer with her six-year-old granddaughter on a remote Finnish island.

Fantastic Beasts
Deadline Hollywood reports that Zoë Kravitz (Leta Lestrange) will star in and executive produce High Fidelity, “the reimagining of Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel and the 2000 feature starring John Cusack with a female point of view, which had been in development at Disney’s upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service.” Kravitz will play a record store owner in the series, which has received a ten-episode order.

Jude Law’s (Albus Dumbledore) upcoming film Vox Lux now has a release date! Neon Productions, which recently acquired the film, has reportedly announced that it will be released on December 7. Cultured Vultures writes that the film will be released in stages.

The plan for Neon is to repeat that process [for 'I, Tonya'] for 'Vox Lux', which will open limited on the 7th, expand on the 14th, and go wide on December 21st. The best bet at this rate for Oscar attention will probably center on [Natalie] Portman’s performance, which, according to reviews, brought her back to the glory days of 'Black Swan'. And like Margot Robbie’s performance last year, Neon’s best chance is for 'Lux' to compete in the Comedy/Musical category, where Portman may stand a better shot than in the Drama race. Robbie’s nomination there last year helped cement her status in the Actress race.

That’s all we have for this week’s Casting News! Stay tuned for even more great updates next week! Until then, be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Mary W.

I am a Slytherin, a lifelong fan of Harry Potter, and a member of MuggleNet staff since 2014. In my Muggle life, I am passionate about human rights, and I love to travel around the world and meet new people.