Entertainment

Dumbledore's Back, 'Potter' Fans!

by Christine DiStasio

Isn't this just the most magical news and the perfect week for Harry Potter fans. We celebrated the tenth anniversary of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and J.K. Rowling released the first two chapters of The Silkworm , which we all stormed our computers to download. And on Friday, BBC and HBO released the cast list for the TV-adaptation of Rowling's first post- Potter novel and get excited Potter fans — Albus Dumbledore aka Michael Gambon will star in The Casual Vacancy . Some mischief is never managed, I suppose.

Does this sound too good to be true? I mean, this miniseries has already been over two years in the making. (BBC announced the project back in 2012, along with an air-date of sometime in 2014.) Well, you'd better believe it. The BBC One along with HBO are producing the miniseries that will consist of three one-hour installments and filming is set to begin in England on July 7. And now it's drawing Potter fans like dementors to decay with the casting of the greatest wizard that ever was.

Gambon is set to play Howard Mollison, the owner of the Pagford delicatessen. Mollison is also the leader of the Parish Council in the village and is described in the novel as being morbidly obese. Quite the departure from our dear, old Dumbledore, huh? His wife, Shirley, will be played by Julia McKenzie and his son, Miles, will be played by Rufus Jones. But, really, how excited are we for Gambon and Rowling to collaborate yet again, three years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 closed out the series we all came to love? I'll answer for you — so excited.

The cast of characters in Casual Vacancy is extensive and while Rory Kinnear has been cast as Barry Fairbrother, the character whose death sparks the entire novel, we know little about the young leads. The only, primary young character announced in this cast list is Krystal Weedon, who will be played by newcomer Abigail Laurie.

In case you've forgotten — Casual Vacancy was that adult novel Rowling published post-Potter that did well, but not quite so well. So we forgive you if you got wrapped up in Robert Galbraith and The Cuckoos Calling and forgot all about her first out-of-the-magical-box effort. The novel explores social issues via the intricate and dark relationships between the residents of the quaint and seemingly idyllic English village of Pagford. Think teen angst and the rich versus the poor.

HBO and BBC have yet to announce a release date for the miniseries — but they sure as hell have our attention now. Like only Dumbledore could command.

Image: Giphy