Michael Gambon to star in TV adaptation of Rowling’s novel
MICHAEL Gambon, who played Albus Dumbledore in the majority of the ‘ Harry Potter’ movies, will soon play another character invented by J. K. Rowling. The 73-year- old actor has landed the lead role in a miniseries adapted from the British author’s ‘ The Casual Vacancy’. The project is slated to air on the BBC in the UK and HBO in the US.
Gambon has accepted the role of Howard Mollison, one of the main characters in Rowling’s first novel after the end of the ‘ Harry Potter’ series. Mollison, the owner of a delicatessen, is among those who campaign to replace Barry Fairbrother, a parish councillor who dies of a stroke.
The Irish-born actor is well known to fans of the young wizard, having played the director of Hogwart’s on the silver screen. Gambon appeared in the role from the third film in the franchise, ‘ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’, following the death of Richard Harris.
‘ The Casual Vacancy’ will take place in the fictional town of Pagford, a seemingly idyllic place in the south of England. But Barry Fairbrother’s death and the subsequent campaign for his parish council seat create an atmosphere of paranoia among the town’s residents. The project will begin lensing on July 7 in England with director Jonny Campbell (‘ Doctor Who’).
Published in September 2012, ‘ The Casual Vacancy’ sold six million copies worldwide in spite of mitigated reviews. The book is J.K. Rowling’s first since the end of the ‘ Harry Potter’ series, which sold 450 million copies in total and became an extremely lucrative film franchise, allowing Warner to bring in over US$ 7.7 billion.
Also underway is an adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s ‘ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’, a spin- off on the ‘ Harry Potter’ series. Warner Bros plans on turning the book into a new film trilogy. — Relaxnews