All articles tagged with #casting
The Hollywood Reporter reports James Gunn is nearing a Maxima casting for Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow. Adria Arjona, Eva De Dominici, Sydney Chandler and Grace Van Patten are the four finalists who tested this week in Atlanta; DC Studios declined to comment, and Gunn responded on social media to dispute a Deadline rumor about the candidates.
Netflix’s Bridgerton has added Tega Alexander, Jacqueline Boatswain and Gemma Knight Jones to Season 5, joining the Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza) love story as filming begins in London. Alexander will play Christopher Anderson, Boatswain portrays Helen Stirling, and Jones is set as Lady Elizabeth Ashworth, with Eloise expected to lead Season 6. The eight-episode Season 5 continues under showrunner Jess Brownell, with executive producers Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Tom Verica and Chris Van Dusen.
Dakota Johnson recalled an audition where she introduced herself and shook everyone’s hand; she later learned that this polite gesture made some in the room label her “pompous” and “cocky,” costing her the job despite making it to the callback.
Deadline reports The White Lotus will return for a France-set Season 4 with an eclectic ensemble including Heather Graham, Rosie Perez, Ben Schnetzer, Tobias Santelmann, Frida Gustavsson and Laura Smet; production is kicking off in France, with Saint-Tropez-area locations rumored, and the season will follow hotel guests and staff over a week, written and directed by Mike White, with roles not yet disclosed.
Kim Novak slams Sydney Sweeney’s casting to portray her in the upcoming biopic Scandalous, saying she would have never approved of the decision and that Sweeney’s sex-appeal could distort Novak’s real-life relationship with Sammy Davis Jr.; Sweeney counters that she’s excited to tell Novak’s story and believes the film’s subject remains relevant amid Hollywood scrutiny.
Chris Lee has been promoted to series regular for Tracker's Season 3 on CBS, continuing as Randy, Colter Shaw’s tech-savvy ally who joined as a recurring in Season 2. The CBS drama, based on Jeffery Deaver’s The Never Game, stars Justin Hartley and was renewed for a fourth season in January.
Netflix’s Kennedy adds 13 to its recurring cast, including Patrick Fischler, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Denis O’Hare and Eddie Marsan, as production continues in London on the JFK-era drama based on Fredrik Logevall’s JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century. The eight-episode first season, headed by Michael Fassbender as Joe Kennedy, Sr. and Laura Donnelly as Rose Kennedy, also introduces new Kennedys and notable figures such as Eunice Kennedy, Kick Kennedy, Rosemary Kennedy, Inga Arvad, Charles Lindbergh and Winston Churchill.
Warner Bros. Discovery is rebooting Harry Potter as an eight‑episode HBO Max series, debuting Christmas Day 2026, with a largely new cast led by Dominic McLaughlin (Harry) and Paapa Essiedu (Snape). The series will be shot at Leavesden, feature a score by Hans Zimmer, and reportedly cost about $100 million per episode, potentially making it the most expensive TV production ever. The show aims to cover the Hogwarts year in a new format, bending the beloved story to a long‑form TV arc with new actors in familiar roles and a multi‑year commitment from cast members.
Brooks Nader responded to backlash over her lack of acting experience in the upcoming Baywatch reboot, arguing that today’s celebrities are multi-hyphenates who can be both actors and influencers. The new series will blend social-media stars with familiar faces (including Livvy Dunne, Noah Beck, Stephen Amell, Shay Mitchell, Hanna Balicki) as leads, and Fox has ordered 12 episodes for a fall 2026 premiere.
HBO revealed the trailer and a Christmas Day premiere for its new Harry Potter series, introducing a fresh cast led by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry with Alastair Stout as Ron and Arabella Stanton as Hermione, alongside John Lithgow (Dumbledore), Nick Frost (Hagrid) and Paapa Essiedu (Snape). The project aims for a faithful adaptation, with Mark Mylod directing multiple episodes and J.K. Rowling serving as an executive producer alongside Francesca Gardiner, while Hans Zimmer will compose the score. The report also notes that Essiedu has faced racist abuse since his casting, with HBO signaling added security for the IP-driven show.
HBO Max released the first teaser for a Harry Potter TV series, revealing a Christmas 2026 premiere for the Philosopher’s Stone adaptation. The trailer introduces a new young trio (Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout) alongside adult cast including John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, and Paapa Essiedu as Snape, with Francesca Gardiner as showrunner and Mark Mylod directing several episodes from Leavesden Studios. The project aims to cover more book detail than the films and is touted as a major streaming event, but has sparked fan backlash over casting and JK Rowling’s involvement; Essiedu has faced online threats, while Radcliffe weighed in on the new lead. HBO defends Rowling’s participation amid ongoing controversy, and the show’s release date is noted as Christmas 2026, though some reports hint at 2027.”,
HBO is developing a serialized Harry Potter adaptation; the first promo image shows Dominic McLaughlin from behind in Gryffindor robes at the Quidditch pitch, signaling a modernized visual language. The cast includes Alastair Stout as Ron, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, with John Lithgow (Dumbledore) and Janet McTeer (McGonagall), Paapa Essiedu (Snape), and Nick Frost (Hagrid), indicating a fresh interpretive approach. The series will expand on the original through episodic storytelling, aiming for a 2027 premiere on HBO and balancing nostalgia with new perspectives.
HBO released the first image from its upcoming Harry Potter series, showing Harry Potter in a Gryffindor cloak headed toward Hogwarts, with Dominic McLaughlin as Harry; Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton play Ron and Hermione, joined by Nick Frost (Hagrid), John Lithgow (Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (McGonagall) and Paapa Essiedu (Snape). The series, written by Francesca Gardiner and directed by Mark Mylod, has been filming in the UK since last summer and is set to premiere next year on HBO Max as a marquee Warner Bros. Discovery project.
HBO Max chief Sarah Aubrey said the Harry Potter TV series represents a “financial investment you wouldn’t normally make on a television show,” confirming a major commitment to adapting all seven books, filming in the UK, and aiming for an early 2027 premiere. The project features a high-profile cast (Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, with Paapa Essiedu, John Lithgow and Janet McTeer in adult roles) and a production team led by Francesca Gardiner, with Mark Mylod directing multiple episodes and Hans Zimmer composing. Series Mania buzz and exclusive set footage underscore the scale surrounding the project.
FX’s Shogun Season 2 adds five new cast members — Risei Kukihara, Ryô Satô, Seishiro Nishida, Mantaro Koichi and Takashi Yamaguchi — who will play Gabriel, Rin, Jōshin, Saitō and Kanō, joining previously announced stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Cosmo Jarvis. Production details on the new characters are being kept under wraps, and the series (adapted from James Clavell’s novel) is set over a decade after Season 1 to continue the saga of the two men from different worlds, Toranaga and Blackthorne.