Two familiar faces are teaming up once again for a brand new project.
Michael Gambon, who Dumbledore in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series’, has been cast to star in JK Rowling’s brand new BBC and HBO miniseries ‘Casual Vacancy.’
The 73 year-old actor, who took over the role of the Hogwarts headmaster after the death of Richard Harris in 2004, leads a cast that includes Keeley Hawes, Rory Kinnear, Monica Dolan, Julia McKenzie and newcomer Abigail Lawrie, Variety reports.
The upcoming miniseries, produced in association with HBO, is a television adaptation of Rowling’s 2012 bestselling book, selling over 6 million copies worldwide, and will run for 3 episodes that will be one hour long.
Filming is set to begin on July 7th in South West Wales.
Rowling’s first adult-themed novel since the ‘Harry Potter’ saga is based in the quiet and quaint English village of Pagford. But the picturesque surrounding is actually the setting of a divided town going to war.
The death of beloved Parish Councillor Barry Fairbrother causes s conflict to begin as his seat on the council is now vacant. Factions start to form, and the selected candidates to be Fairbrother’s successor soon have their darkest secrets revealed, which leaves the election in despair.
The novel addresses themes of class, politics, and several issues involving criminal activity such as drugs, prostitution and rape. Gambon has landed the role of Howard Mollison, owner of the Pagford delicatessen, and McKenzie is set to play his wife, Shirley.
It isn’t yet known if any of the other ‘Harry Potter’ cast members will feature in Rowling’s next film production, the Harry Potter spin-off ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’
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The movie is based on her 2001 book, with the same title, which was originally billed as one of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbooks. Rowling is writing the screenplay, creating a new story from the mind-set of the man behind the textbook, who is called Newt Scamander and his adventures will be the focus of the first film in the upcoming series.
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The spin-off story takes place seventy years before Harry Potter is ever introduced to the world, and will be set in New York City.
Rowling’s novel has sold over 6 million copies worldwide
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