‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Cast Round-Up and More!

We’ve got an extensive round-up for you this Thursday, Potter fans. Considering Harry Potter cast and crew are among the most prolific and generous in the business, it’s no surprise they fill the media outlets with news. So let’s get on with it!

The St. Helens Star reports that director David Yates was added to the Citizen of Honour roll at Liverpool City Hall. He’s made so many wonderful contributions to the wizarding world, we’re pleased to see him recognized outside of it, as well! No doubt his family and friends agreed, as they attended the ceremony conducted by Lord Mayor Liverpool Cllr Roz Gladden, Friday.

Yates is well known in the fandom for his excellent work on the last four films in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts I and II. He wrapped up the franchise so brilliantly that Warner Bros. brought him back to helm Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which turned out to be another coup at the box office and a thrill for fans!

Speaking of Fantastic Beasts, Johnny Depp, cast as the infamous dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the film series, features in three new promotional posters for his latest entry to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales, set to open in theaters May 26th.

The Herald shared the following tweet:

Here are 3 new movie posters for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ! ? ?? #Pirates5#POTC5pic.twitter.com/zbgwQs1QTy

— Sean B. (@SeanBonau) February 18, 2017

Depp is front and center as Captain Jack Sparrow, but we’re also treated to a look at Geoffrey Rush, returning as Captain Barbossa, Javier Bardem as Capitan Salazer, Kaya Scodelario as Carina Smyth, and Brenton Thwaites as Henry. It looks to be another exciting tale of adventure on the high seas!

A little closer to home, we’ll see Bonnie Wright and Alan Tudyk (Firefly) at Phoenix Comicon 2017!

Wright is best known for her portrayal of Ginny Weasley–Quidditch player, journalist, and Harry Potter’s match. She’s since branched out, however, appearing in indie films and also taking a seat in the director’s chair.

Wright and Tudyk join a number of previously-announced actors and actresses, including Holly Marie Combs (Charmed), Jason David Frank (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), Osric Chau (Supernatural), Ciara Renée (Legends of Tomorrow), and others.

The event runs May 25th through May 28th, though the Phoenix New Times reports Wright and Tudyk are only scheduled to appear Saturday, May 26th and Sunday, May 27th. No details regarding their panels or booth sessions is available yet. But if you’re planning to be in the area, stay tuned for forthcoming information.

It turns out there’s also some news on Harry’s other love interest, Cho Chang, played by Katie Leung.

Leung stars as Dou Yi in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Snow in Midsummer, directed by Justin Audibert. The play by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s is a re-imagination of Guan Hanquing’s Chinese classic drama.

Dou Yi is a young widow who was wrongly executed and returns to exact justice. Meet Dou Yi and other characters in the following teaser trailer shared by We Are Resonate.

Snow in Midsummer runs February 23rd through March 25th.

Leung is not the only alum to take the stage. Though in the case of Eddie Redmayne, now starring as Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts, his theater success takes us back a few years–all the way to his school days, in fact.

Fellow actor Tom Hiddleston revealed on The Graham Norton Show that he and Redmayne were in a school play together, though his role was not as prestigious in comparison.

The Times of India reports Hiddleston confessed to Norton:

“I’m delighted to reveal that I played the front, right leg of the elephant that Eddie was riding on. We’re holding a table with a cushion on top of it and also tablecloths over our faces because our bodies are the elephant.”

Everyone has to start somewhere, and they’re both doing well enough now! Redmayne, in particular, was obviously perfectly cast as Scamander, since he was taming wild beasts from the beginning. JK Rowling’s creatures must not phase him at all.

Now on to news of Bill Nighy, who seemed far less comfortable as Rufus Scrimgeour, the short-lived Minister for Magic. This had nothing to do with his acting, of course, and everything to do with the character of Scrimgeour himself. But who wouldn’t be tense and suspicious when Albus Dumbledore has just died and Lord Voldemort is on the rise?

His new film, Their Finest, with Gemma Arterton and Sam Claflin, is billed as a romantic comedy and ought to provide much lighter material to work with. Flickering Myth  unveils a new poster and gives the following synopsis:

“1940, London, the Blitz; with the country’s morale at stake, Catrin (Gemma Arterton), an untried screenwriter, and a makeshift cast and crew, work under fire to make a film to lift the nation’s flagging spirits; and inspire America to join the war. Partnered with fellow writer, Buckley (Sam Claflin), the pair, along with fading matinee idol Ambrose Hilliard (Bill Nighy), reluctantly joins forces on a movie to warm the hearts of the nation and capture the imagination of the US public.”

The film will open in the U.S. April 7th and is set to release in UK theaters April 21st.

Finally, saving the best news for last, we’re excited to share that EuroFoundationCentre has announced Lumos is a semi-finalist in the MacArthur Foundation 100andChange competition!

Congrats to Lumos & partners! Semi-finalists in @macfound 100&Change competition w/ $100M award! Read @lumos CEO: https://t.co/sM3oDY0H6yhttps://t.co/U0FIfbgJCO

— EuroFoundationCentre (@The_EFC) February 23, 2017

From their twitter account, the “John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world.”

Lumos is JK Rowling’s charitable foundation with the following mission statement:

“No child should be denied a family life because they are poor, disabled or from an ethnic minority. Lumos works to support the 8 million children in institutions worldwide to regain their right to a family life and to end the institutionalization of children.”

Leaky recently reported on work Lumos is doing in Moldova to fund small group homes where children can get individualized attention in an environment that more closely resembles a family. Warwick Davis even visited one of the homes on behalf of Lumos to meet with and encourage the children there.

Lumos would certainly be a worthy recipient of the award, and we hope they continue to progress in the competition. What an honor it is to be part of this incredible fandom!