It looks like Disney might be making a new casting decision soon!
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Hold onto your Mickey ears, folks! The rumor mill is churning, and this time, it’s about our favorite Greek demigod—Hercules.
Forget reading the room; it seems like the House of Mouse is reading the stars and contemplating a live-action remake with none other than Marvel star Michael B. Jordan in the spotlight.
Now, we’re not saying Disney is on shaky ground, but after the Snow White direction debacle, it’s safe to say they might need a map.
According to the wizards at Inside The Magic, the big shots at Disney are eyeing Michael B. Jordan for the role of Hercules.
Cue the applause or the internet’s collective gasp—depending on which corner of cyberspace you’re in.
Given Disney’s recent habit of stirring up controversy faster than a magic potion, it wouldn’t be the biggest shocker if our beloved MBJ does indeed don the Hercules cape.
The rumor mill is working overtime, and the internet is buzzing with opinions.
One brave soul, @freecubaamerican, declared their love for MBJ but dropped a truth bomb: “HE’s NOT GREEK!”
Michael B. Jordan is rumored to be Disney’s frontrunner to play Hercules in the live-action remake of the classic animated film.
The news follows an insider revealing that Disney was hoping to cast a "non-white" actor in the role.https://t.co/EUVPmm29dB
— ThePublica (@ThePublicaNow) October 27, 2023
Well, when you put it that way…
It’s not just Hercules causing a kerfuffle in the Magic Kingdom. Disney’s live-action choices have folks more exhausted than a marathon run through Cinderella’s castle.
Florence Pugh as Rapunzel? Some said she was “too old,” and others just want a break from seeing the same stars in every kingdom.
But hold onto your enchanted roses because here’s the real plot twist—Disney might be facing a box office loss of $900 million from their woke flops.
Analyst Valliant Renegade spilled the beans, but surprise, surprise! Disney’s Q3 earnings for 2023 are a whopping $22.3 billion, a 4% growth from the year before.
Disney’s website boasts about restoring creativity to the center of their business, but we’re still waiting for that burst of innovation like a genie from a lamp.
What’s your take on the Michael B. Jordan Hercules saga? Is it a magical move or a myth-take?
Danny DeVito Reportedly Returning To Reprise Role In Disney’s Live Action Hercules Remake
According to reports, Danny DeVito will reprise his role as Phil in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of Hercules.
The beloved animated film from 1997 featured the voice of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Philoctetes, a sarcastic satyr who takes the title character’s super-strong demigod under his wing and helps him learn to handle his strength.
Robert Costanzo provided the voice of Phil in the 1998 animated series, in which DeVito did not return; however, it appears that the Matilda actor may harness his inner satyr for the live-action version.
“I am the live-action Hercules,” DeVito joked when asked if he’d return during the WIRED Autocomplete Interview last year.
“If they don’t put me in that, they don’t have a hair on their ass,” he added.
The live-action movie is in the early stages of production and will be directed by Guy Ritchie (Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes series) and produced by the Russo brothers (Avengers: Endgame, The Gray Man).
Insiders told Giant Freakin Robot that DeVito would play Phil again, although no official confirmation has been given as of yet.
Meanwhile, it appears that the Taxi star is interested in revisiting more than just the part of Phil.
The actor talked about maybe reprising his role as DC villain Oswald Cobblepot, also known as The Penguin, who he initially played in 1992’s Batman Returns directed by Tim Burton.
“I feel like it’s not out of the question that The Penguin will return someday, but this is all up to Tim [Burton], whether or not Tim wants to do this,” he told Forbes two years ago.
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“I would say that could be in the cards because we ain’t dead yet.
“We could do a continuation of what we had in the past because that was truly a brilliant movie.
“They afforded me that opportunity and I feel very grateful and would I like to revisit it? Why not! It was a really great moment in time for me.”
And while a new Penguin movie with DeVito may not be in the works right now, Colin Farrell just played the infamous villain in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which stars Robert Pattinson as the main character.
Related Article: ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Offers First Look as Todd Phillips Announces ‘Day One’ of Production
For a previously planned HBO Max series, Farrell will reprise the part. Cristin Milioti, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Michael Kelly will also appear.
It is anticipated to debut later this year or in the first quarter of 2024 and is simply titled The Penguin.
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21 Actors From The Harry Potter Films Who Are No Longer With Us
Calling all fellow wizards and witches, it’s time to raise our wands and remember the magical stars who’ve left us from the Harry Potter universe. Since the very first Harry Potter movie graced our screens in 2001 with “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” we’ve laughed, cried, and cheered alongside a fantastic cast of characters. But, my friends, the bittersweet truth is that not all of them are still with us.
We’ve had to bid farewell to 21 talented actors who brought the wizarding world to life. From the mighty Professor Snape, played by the unforgettable Alan Rickman, to the wise Professor Dumbledore portrayed by the legendary Richard Harris. Even the gentle giant Hagrid, portrayed by Robbie Coltrane, has ventured into the great beyond.
But it’s not just the headlining heroes who have left us. The magic of Harry Potter extends to the supporting cast as well. Elizabeth Spriggs, who played the enchanting Fat Lady guarding Gryffindor Tower, and Verne Troyer, our beloved Griphook, have also passed away.
1) Richard Harris – Albus Dumbledore
Prior to Michael Gambon taking over for the remaining six Harry Potter films, Harris played the grandfatherly headmaster in the first two films and many fans were delighted with the casting as he looked as so many fans imagined!
2) Alan Rickman – Severus Snape
Fans of Harry Potter were very saddened by Severus Snape’s loss, but Alan Rickman’s death was by far a bigger shock. Tragically, the actor passed away in January 2016 after receiving a confidential diagnosis of terminal cancer.
3) Robert Knox – Marcus Belby
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Knox, an English actor, played Marcus Belby. Tragically, Knox was fatally stabbed outside a London pub after getting involved in a fight to defend his brother.
Later, a documentary was produced on the actor’s tragic passing and the cast of the Potter films wore ribbons in his memory at the premiere.
4) Elizabeth Spriggs – The Fat Lady
Spriggs was well-known for portraying The Fat Lady, a living portrait who watches over the Gryffindor common area. Comedian Dawn French subsequently took over the part.
5) Timothy Bateson – Kreacher
Prior to his death in 2009, Bateson performed the voice of Kreacher, an elderly house elf, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
6) Alfred Burke – Armando Dippet
Alfred Burke, who was well-known for his roles as Frank Marker in Public Eye and subsequently as Armando Dippett, Dumbledore’s predecessor at Hogwarts, died in February 2011 at the age of 92.
7) Jimmy Gardner – Ernie Prang
In the third Harry Potter movie from 2004, Gardner, a WWII veteran who had been acting since the 1960s, played Knight Bus driver Ernie Prang.
8) Eric Sykes – Frank Bryce
Frank Bryce, a Muggle who lived in Little Hangleton, the same community which the Riddle family also called home, was portrayed by comic actor Eric Sykes. He worked as their gardener and eventually was the main suspect in the death of the family, but viewers will know he was innocent.
9) Richard Griffiths – (Uncle) Vernon Dursley
Richard Griffiths, a renowned British actor of theatre and cinema recognised for performances in The History Boys, Withnail and I, and Chariots of Fire, was the only person who could have brought Harry’s Uncle Vernon to life and fans loved to loathe him!
10) David Ryall – Elphias Doge
In the 2010 film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Ryall took over Peter Cartwright’s role as Elphias Doge, a member of the Order of the Phoenix but sadly passed away, 2014’s Christmas Day.
11) Dave Legeno – Fenrir Greyback
Fenrir Greyback was a werewolf and Death Eater with a sinister propensity for harming innocent youngsters, as the really die-hard fans would know. Tragically, the actor who played him passed away in July 2014 in Death Valley, California, after appearing in three Harry Potter films.
12) Roger Lloyd Pack – Barty Crouch Senior
Roger Lloyd Pack, who played Trigger in the enduring sitcom Only Fools and Horses, went on to play Barty Crouch Senior, a powerful Ministry of Magic official in the series furing Goblet of Fire.
13) Derek Deadman – Tom The Innkeeper
Derek Deadman, a character actor with more than 40 years of experience in the British entertainment business, created the role of Tom, the barman from The Leaky Cauldron, a pub in Diagon Alley.
14) Terence Baylor – The Blood Baron
The Bloody Baron, a ghost at Hogwarts who was originally a wizard also known as Phillip Strenger, was played by New Zealand actor Terence Bayler.
15) John Hurt – Ollivander
Hurt, a well-known English actor whose career spanned five decades including a pivotal part in the Doctor Who video, played the kind-hearted wandmaker Ollivander in the movie series.
16) Robert Hardy – Cornelius Fudge
Magical Minister Robert Hardy CBE, who had acting credentials in theatre, cinema, and television before his passing in 2017, played Cornelius Fudge in the Harry Potter movies.
17) Verne Troyer – Griphook
Verne Troyer played Mini Me in the Austin Powers movie, which is perhaps his most well-known role, but he also played Griphook in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone until Warwick Davies took over.
18) Helen McCrory – Narcissa Malfoy
Before her tragic passing in 2021, McCrory had amassed a large following because to her performances in films like Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter series and Polly in Peaky Blinders.
19) Robbie Coltrane – Rubeus Hagrid
The world was in mourning in 2022 after learning of the passing of renowned Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who is best known for his role as Hagrid, the affable groundskeeper in the Harry Potter series.
20) Leslie Phillips – The Sorting Hat
Phillips was well-known for appearing in the Carry On films and for lending his voice to The Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter films. He passed away in November of last year after building a successful and protracted acting career.
21) Michael Gambon – Albus Dumbledore (2)
Sadly the news of Michael Gambon’s passing is so sudden and yet he contributed to 6 of the Harry Potter films after taking over from Richard Harris in which he showed a feistier side to the headmaster and fans came to love him. Not to mention his most famous quote ‘Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light’
As fans of the wizarding world, we’ll always cherish the enchanting moments these actors gifted us. Let’s hold onto those memories, rewatch the films, and keep their magic alive in our hearts. After all, “Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home,” as J.K. Rowling once said. And so will the enchanting performances of these dearly departed actors in the world of Harry Potter.
