Is it too early to cast the final two movies?

[Lembas]

There was an article in my paper last week that, just for fun, tried a hand at casting some of the roles for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I'll start by posting a couple whom they suggested for the film:

James McAvoy as Bill Weasley.
Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn (I disagree with this one. He has the chops but the way Rowling described him, they'd really have to put him in a gigantic prosthetic suit and I don't know if Broadbent would do that). Or maybe he would.

Then I saw an article at a movie site that suggested that the director of OotP, David Yates, was considering asking Bill Nighy to play Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour. Yates had directed Nighy in the excellent cable movie, The Girl in the Cafe and thought of him. But Yates said that with the script in progress, one day Scrimgeour's in, on day he's out. I hope they include the character and get Nighy because I really like the guy.

That said, I'd like to see Kelly Mcdonald play Merope Gaunt. Of course, given how she was described in the book, they'd really have to ugly her up, because Mcdonald is a living doll, IMHO. But as she's been directed by Yates also, she'd be a natural.

Well, I did pretty badly by only suggesting one of my own. What do the rest of you think for casting for the last two films and/or the casting suggested above? Include other characters as you think of them.

[Reba]

huh...I figured they'd have had it cast already. Considering the release date is set as November 21. 2008, and start date for shooting is set for September 2007. I know that some roles are usually up in the air til the last minute, but if the only ones they have cast so far are the returning characters, that's a bit nutz! I guess depending what the script is like...it may be only the returning characters in it...maybe nobody new...which would be a pretty slim story IMO.

Sorry, I just can't think of anyone really, either characters or actors to play them. I thought that would already be done by now!

[Lembas]

It's true that they should have the casting done by now, but as movies film out of sequence they could wait awhile to cast certain parts. This article about Bill Nighy was posted just two weeks ago, so that could either mean he was just then talking about it, or that the interview tool place a long time again and was just then released. Hard to tell with these shows.

Anyway, I'm just hoping for people to put their want-list out there before the actors are named. They'll have to have Slughorn and the Gaunts in the film, or else it'll be a fairly short movie.

[Colli]

Oh, I'm American.. I'm always so bad at this!

I checked IMDb and they don't have any casting info beyond Tom Felton and the trio. And two mainstream HP websites didn't even have a page started for movie 6 yet. So I guess there just hasn't been much info released?

[lizz]

somewhere I read that Joseph Fiennes was in talks about HBP. I´really like him to play Tom Riddle sen. I guess that will be only 2 minutes screentime, but still.

I guess all of the main cast will return :)

[Lembas]

This actor, Richard Riehle, who has been in scores of movies, is who I saw in my mind for Horace Slughorn while reading HBP. The only stumbling block is, he's American. I wish the filmmakers would make an exception in this case---they could have him use a British accent. *sigh* I know I'm just dreaming, but what do you think from this pic?

http://www.morrowroad.com/images/RichardRiehle3.jpg

[Elwen]

That does look like a good choice.... I have to say, I always see Richard Griffiths (I hope I got the name right) when i read about Horace Slughorn - but of course, he is already doing Vernon Dursely!

I DID like the rumour about Joseph Fiennes (as Tom Riddle Senior?) - that would be very appropriate, and there is some family resemblance between the two Fiennes brothers, IMHO - that would of course be useful!

I am just too bad at this casting game.... so I'll just sit back and watch you people come up with more ideas....

[Pilgrim Grey]

Eugh, the thing I hate most about the HP films is that they're so short-sighted. And I'm especially suprised that Yates would potentially allow Scrimgeour to be cut after all the great introductory legwork he did with the Ministry in OOTP. Scrimgeour, and by association the Ministry are absolutely vital to DH, so why they wouldn't have him in HBP is beyond me. It's just really frustrating when the film-makers (although I admit that I lay blame pretty heavily on Steve Kloves) just seem to assume that everyone's read the books and so don't bother filling in gaping plotholes.

Anyway, I do think Nighy would be perfect as Scrimgeour, but other than that I'm not familiar enough with British actresses to be able to offer anyone up. I heard a rumour that Naomi Watts (although we claim her as Australian I think she was born in England?) was up for the role of Narcissa, but I don't think that would be right at all.

[Lembas]

I've heard the Naomi Watts rumor but so far I think it's just that. I went over to the Internet Movie Data Base and entered "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" just to read who fans think should play the characters. Some of them seem to be just going down the list of any British actor/actress without any consideration of whether they'd be right for the role. I'll list quite a few and give a few comments:

Narcissa: Joely Richardson (not a bad one), Kate Winslet

Mundungus Fletcher: Brian Cox, Sean Bean!

Tom Riddle (Voldemort's dad): Colin Firth, Jack Davenport

Rufus Scrimgeour: Hugh Laurie, Patrick Stewart, Christopher Lee

Slughorn: John Rhys-Davies, Bob Hoskins, Ian McNeice http://dvdtoile.com/ARTISTES/10/10298.jpg (I hadn't thought of him, I like him quite a bit)

Teenage Tom Riddle: Most everybody on the board at IMDB thinks that Christian Coulson from CoS should come back, but supposedly David Yates has nixed that idea, saying that as he's pushing 30, Coulson's role should be recast. That being the case, there is a petition going on over there for people to sign to bring him back. I say, depends on how he looks: if he can pass for teenage, sign him up!

Fenrir Greyback: Vinnie Jones (kind of like that one), Sean Bean! Liam Neeson. One fan wants Sean Bean in the next movie, no matter who he plays. :)

Merope Gaunt: Eva Green (I think this one's fairly silly. Although she's quite fetching, she's far too glamorous to play this part, IMHO. http://www.marieclaire.fr/WebObjects/Frameworks/mcl_FAImages.framework/WebServerResources/auto/type_2/2_G_eva_green_red.jpg

I still like Kelly Mcdonald, whom I've seen play shy really well and with the right makeup, can nail this role, although I still find her beautiful. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/media/kelly_mcdonald.jpg

Hepzibah Smith: Angela Lansbury (geez, Angela may be getting up there in years, but I think that's kind of a slap at her! :LOL: )

And one vote for a DH role is Michael Caine for Aberforth. Despite liking Caine, I think they should just let Gambon don some grizzled makeup and play his own brother.

[Tiger Louie]

I'd thought of Ian McNeice for Horace Slughorn as well (and I've not been on any imdb forums. I think he'd be brilliant. If they don't want to bother about the size thing, how about Tom Baker (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0048982/)? They don't have any pictures here, but if you ever saw any Doctor Who from mid-1970s, he played the Doctor and though he's greyer, he's not changed that much :)

My idea for Narcissa would be Hermione Norris (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0635820/).

[Lembas]

Curses! I was logged in, posted a reply, then was told I wasn't logged in. :shrug:

TG, although the IMDB didn't have a picture of Hermione Norris, I looked her up on Google Images and I think you've nailed Narcissa---she looks dead-on perfect! She looks just lovely but severe enough to be a Malfoy. Good one! http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/tvone/programmes/cold_feet/karen_d.jpg

I know of Tom Baker well. He was probably the most popular Dr. Who here in America, as PBS played mostly his episodes over and over. I like him. Judging from this pic, he could play Slughorn: http://www.lazyllama.com/gallery/misc/tombaker.jpg

If they don't worry about the size thing, then I don't see why not. They didn't really worry about it with Imelda Staunton as Umbridge and she was perfect, never mind that she was wasn't huge like JKR described her in the book.

[Tiger Louie]

I noticed on Imdb that a lot of people seemed to think Mundungus Fletcher should be 'the guy from Notting Hill' - who I take to mean Rhys Ifans. If so, I'd have to agree with them, not withstanding the fact that they cast someone, possibly, in the role in OotP.

If they'd still had the late lamented Richard Harris playing Dumbledore, there could be nobody more perfect for Aberforth than Peter O'Toole (the flash of brilliant blue eyes is something that comes naturally to PO). Sadly, finding someone who could be Gambon's brother is going to be trickier, I think as you need someone similar but more ramshackle in the part.

Come to think of it, they could possibly cast Tom Baker as Aberforth, couldn't they?

[Lembas]

Apparently it's official and Horace Slughorn has been cast. Here's the link:

http://www.mania.com/56032.html

[Elwen]

Jim Broadbent, eh?

hehe... that could work rather nicely :D

http://uk.imdb.com/name/nm0000980/

[Lembas]

After going to your link, Elwen, and seeing the picture of him on the left side of the page, I have to change my mind and agree. I still say they need to pad him up, although they may go the Imelda Staunton route and not worry so much about the girth. It totally worked with her, so hopefully it will with Jim. Once again, no knock against his acting talents.

I see also from that page that he's acting in the new Indiana Jones movie. Is there anybody that's not going to be in that movie? :)

[Elwen]

hehe.... perhaps Indy IV works out as an actors' pension fund a bit like the Harry Potter series has turned out for British actors ;) :D

in castingt he last two movies we only have to look round and work out which British actors are still missing! Judy Dench for Aunt Muriel, I say! ;)


You know, and then they can get Hugh Grant in as Prime Minister (I am still convinced that that Prime Minister in HBP is a cross of Tony Blair and the PM in Love Actually.....



..... so, which British actors are still missing? ;)

[Reba]

oooooooo...Hugh Grant for Prime Minister! That would be funny!

[Pearl]

You know, and then they can get Hugh Grant in as Prime Minister (I am still convinced that that Prime Minister in HBP is a cross of Tony Blair and the PM in Love Actually.....

LOL! :D You're so right. He is so Blair. :D

Although, according to the timeline, it should have been John Major whom Fudge and Scrimgeour visited, because the events of HBP begin in the summer of 1996 ... Not that anything in that chapter corresponds to historical reality, of course. The PM is newly elected, for one thing. ;)

The thought of Major having Fudge turn up in his fireplace is still just as funny though. :wink:

DEFINITELY Judi Dench for Aunt Muriel! She'd be awesome! :D

Man, I hated Love Actually. I wanted to machine gun Martine McCutcheon's character in particular.

But Hugh Grant as the PM in HBP would be pretty funny. I'd want Scrimgeour to flippin' well Confund him. Or something. :p