Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Harry Potter

  • Warner Bros. Interested in Developing More ‘Harry Potter’ Spinoffs

    Warner Bros. Interested in Developing More ‘Harry Potter’ Spinoffs

    The Wizarding World is still going strong, with the latest entry in the Fantastic Beasts series set to hit theaters in April. However, it doesn’t seem like The Secrets of Dumbledore will be the final film in the wildly popular franchise that started with the original Harry Potter book and continued through at least eleven movies. In a recent conference hosted by Bloomberg, Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff commented on the future of Potter at the company:

    We would love to develop more original Harry Potter series, and we regularly talk to J.K. Rowling and her team. It’s got to be right though. Whatever we do has to be true to the canon, and true to the ethos of the Wizarding World, and who Harry is.

    Ann Sarnoff

    The quote is especially interesting considering Sarnoff‘s use of the word “original”. Both of the series currently in existence, Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, originate from literary works by author J.K. Rowling. The British writer is a controversial figure, but she’s remained very involved with the characters who made her famous.

    Each Fantastic Beasts film has been plotted by the creative, who continues to expand her own universe through live-action projects. It would seem the plan is for this to continue, possibly with Rowling outlining completely new stories without any basis in literature. Fans will have to keep their eyes out for any possible announcements on the horizon. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is currently eyeing a release in theatres on April 15th.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • First ‘The Secrets of Dumbledore’ Teaser Offers First Look at Mads Mikkelsen as Grindelwald

    First ‘The Secrets of Dumbledore’ Teaser Offers First Look at Mads Mikkelsen as Grindelwald

    It was over a year ago that we heard the first rumblings that Johnny Depp was getting replaced in the third entry of the Fantastic Beasts franchise. After making his debut as Grindelwald, he exited the project after production had already begun. Mads Mikkelsen took over the role shortly after. Not too long ago, we got the title of the third entry The Secrets of Dumbledore and we finally got our first look at the entry. While it’s not the fault trailer just yet – that’s eyeing a Monday release – we did get our first look at Mikkelsen as the series main antagonist.

    Image

    It’s uncertain what exactly is happening in this sequence, as it seems like he’s being cheered on or even grabbed by a massive group of people. The character has quite a different design from the previous entries, as his bleached white hair is gone with only a slither left behind. His outfit also seems a bit more reserved from Depp‘s take on the character. It’ll b einteresting to see how they tackle the transformation, as it may play similar to how he was revealed in the first one.

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max to Reunite ‘Harry Potter’s Original Trio for ‘Return to Hogwarts’ Special

    HBO Max to Reunite ‘Harry Potter’s Original Trio for ‘Return to Hogwarts’ Special

    It looks like a new era has begun for Harry Potter. While Warner Bros. has been busy working on the third entry of Fantastic Beasts, it seems HBO Max has some additional plans. The streaming service will release a special for New Years Day titled Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts that’ll welcome back the original Harry Potter cast of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.

    It’s not surprising that they’re adding an anniversary special, as the streaming service saw quite the success with their FRIENDS reunion special. The feature is described to “tell an enchanting making-of story through all-new in-depth interviews and cast conversations.” Director Chris Columbus will also make a return alongside cast members from across all eight entries of the popular Harry Potter films.

    It’s crazy to think that it’s already been 20 years since the first film in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone released in theaters. For those that don’t have access to HBO Max, it’ll also be made available on TBS and Cartoon Network in the spring of 2022. So, there will be an opportunity to check it out next year.

    Source: Variety, Twitter

  • Robin Williams Once Campaigned to Play Remus Lupin in ‘Harry Potter’

    Robin Williams Once Campaigned to Play Remus Lupin in ‘Harry Potter’

    There are some interesting moments in history where you look back at what could’ve been. Especially in film, we always explore the different castings that almost happened before someone else took on the role. Marvel fans could hardly see anyone else take over the mantle of Iron Man after Robert Downey Jr.‘s performance, but there was a time where Tom Cruise was considered. Harry Potter is no different, such as how Alan Rickman made the role of Severus Snape as iconic as it is today. Yet, it looks like one American icon tried to find his way into the franchise, but was prevented due to a simple casting rule by the production.

    In an interview with Total Film, director Chris Columbus discussed his work on the iconic franchise, as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone turns 20. In it, he discussed a rather curious discussion he had with famous comedian Robin Williams. It seems that he was adamant about playing Remus Lupin, who would have a considerable role as of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The role famously went to David Thewlis, as the production had a simple rule. This franchise is set in Great Britain and to remain authentic, they had the rule that these films did not include any Americans.

    I had a conversation with Robin Williams, who wanted to play Lupin. It was very difficult for me to say ‘It’s all British. There’s nothing I can do.

    Christopher Columbus

    It’s not uncommon for projects to set rules on how they approach their casting. As fun as it would’ve been to have Williams in the role, Thewlis made it his own throughout his run in the original eight-film franchise. Still, if we go by an if scenario, the role would’ve fit him quite well. The character is shown to have a comedic side but takes a dark turn later down the line. Robin Willimas proved his range with films such as One Hour Photo, Good Will Hunting, and many more.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Gets Subtitle and An Easter Release

    ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Gets Subtitle and An Easter Release

    It looks like the next installment in the Harry Potter spinoff, Fantastic Beasts, got a new release date, as it’s now set to release on Easter weekend next year. To be precise, the David Yates film is heading to theaters on April 15th, 2022. It originally was going to release in July of that same year but got pushed earlier which may be a good sign for its production. The last we heard of the production was last year when Mads Mikkelsen replaced Johnny Depp in the role of its main antagonist. The news also came with the official reveal of the subtitle The Secrets of Dumbledore on Twitter.

    The series continues to slowly move away from its main protagonist to focus on the feud between Gindelwald and Dumbledore. The Wizard World sequel also received the following logline to tease what crazy story Eddie Redmayne‘s Newt Scamander gets pulled into:

    Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers. But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?

    The prequel series takes place decades before Harry Potter even set foot in Hogwarts and continues to expand upon wizarding history. Jude Law took over the role of a young Albus Dumbledore and will return in the upcoming film in the titular role.

    Source: Deadline, Twitter

  • Live-Action ‘Harry Potter’ Series in Development for HBO Max

    Live-Action ‘Harry Potter’ Series in Development for HBO Max

    The Wizarding World is about to grow even bigger, as The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that a live-action Harry Potter series is in development. It seems the Executives over at WarnerMedia have been in talks with various writers but nothing is set in concrete as of now. No deals have been made, as HBO Max and Warner Bros. have made the statement that nothing is in active development. The franchise is one of the studio’s most valuable IPs, so it makes sense that they have something planned. J.K. Rowling is presumed to still be involved, as she still has control over the franchise.

    The franchise hasn’t been free from controversy, mostly surrounding Rowling‘s recent comments. Warner Bros. also replaced Johnny Depp with Mads Mikkelsen in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts film. Still, the franchise has quite the following ever since the original film aired in 2001 before Deathly Hallows ended the story of the franchise’s titular character. It wasn’t until 2016 that Fantastic Beasts sparked a new wave of excitement, as Warner Bros. saw to expand upon the now-titled Wizarding World.

    As there are no writers involved, the series can be a prequel, sequel, or even a midquel. It would be interesting to explore a modern Hogwarts, where students are also using modern technology in combination with their magic. There is also a lot of wizarding history that has yet to be explored, so anything is possible. We’ll most likely hear more from this project once they’ve found the right writer.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • CONFIRMED: ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Eyeing Mads Mikkelsen to Replace Johnny Depp

    CONFIRMED: ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Eyeing Mads Mikkelsen to Replace Johnny Depp

    UPDATE: It looks like it is official. Entertainment Weekly has broken the news that Mads Mikkelsen will indeed take over the role of Grindelwald. It is currently uncertain how exactly they’ll introduce the new character and if he will continue the same design.

     

    Source: EW

     

    The Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts has just ramped up its production for the third installment. Shortly after, Warner Bros. asked Johnny Depp to step down from the role of Grindelwald due to the controversies surrounding his divorce. Now, it looks like director David Yates has already set his eyes on Depp‘s replacement. According to Andy Signore, they are currently in talks with Hannibal‘s Mads Mikkelsen to take over the iconic role. They are still aiming for the summer 2022 release date, as Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law are already filming. The Danish actor is currently working on Doug Liman‘s Chaos Walking, so it is unsure if there will be some scheduling conflicts.


    Of course, there is still the question of how or if they will explain the change in the actor. Luckily, the first film in the franchise introduced the character of Percival Graves. He was played by Colin Farrel before he turned into Johnny Depp‘s Grindelwald. We might see him use the same spell to stay undercover throughout the story, or he reveals that he was again hiding his identity.
    Mikkelsen is a fantastic actor, who was a stand-out in Hannibal, The Hunt, and Polar. His casting would be a great addition to the cast, and he is no stranger to the role of a villain. He could bring something unique to Grindelwald to make the role his own. The Danish actor has been appearing in various pop culture franchises, such as MCU’s Doctor Strange and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. So, he is no stranger to franchises, as Fantastic Beasts is going to have multiple entries past the upcoming third one. Here’s hoping they can avoid any scheduling conflicts so he can join the project.

    Source: Variety, Deadline, Digital Spy

  • ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Trailer Explores Beyond the School’s Grounds

    ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Trailer Explores Beyond the School’s Grounds

    There has been a rumor floating around for quite some time that a Harry Potter game was being developed. Warner Bros. game division was almost sold by AT&T, so some wondered if the game was even going to be released. Surprisingly, it seems that the franchise’s popularity may have been the saving grace for the studio. Now, we finally got our first look at what a third-person game in the world of Harry Potter could look like during the PlayStation showcase.

    The trailer showcases a variety of creatures that are well-known to Potter fans. The game will open up the school’s gates. It seems you can create your own character that will start his life as a wizard at Hogwarts in the early 1800s. We sadly don’t really get a look at how you play the game. It seems to be based on third-person action games, so might take some cues from games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. I am curious if you can upgrade your character by attending classes. It could let the game do something unique. Your own choices in what classes you attend you define your character’s development. There is a lot of potential with this game and hope we get some gameplay soon.

    Source: YouTube