BBC and HBO has chosen the Archway School in Stroud, Gloucestershire to shoot JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" series. According to RadioTimes reports, the crew will start filming on Monday.
Producers reportedly chose the academy for its slightly older look which fit the story's fictional setting the best. The school's soccer field has already been booked for filming on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. According to reports, 200 locals will be brought in as extras for the mini-series.
After finishing the phenomenal "Harry Potter" book and movie series, JK Rowling moved on from magical classes and teenaged characters. She wrote the more mature and grimly political "The Casual Vacancy" which was a total opposite of the Potter franchise. It became the 15th best-selling book of 2012.
The story follows a group of candidates running for Parish Councilor after Barry Fairbrother's death left the seat vacant. As the election proceeds, each candidate's secret becomes exposed. A dark past involving drugs, prostitution, and even rape starts haunting each of them.
The series has already announced a cast lineup of talented actors including Michael Gambon who played Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies, replacing Richard Harris after his death in 2002.
Gambon will be joined by Keeley Hawes (The Avengers), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall), Monica Dolan (Sightseers), Julia McKenzie (Notes on a Scandal), and Jonny Campbell (In the Flesh).
JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" series will be produced by Bronte Film and Television, with the expected release date to be later this year. The mini-series will be directed by Jonny Campbell.
A spinoff of the "Harry Potter" franchise, "Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them" has also been picked up for an on screen showing. It's set to be shot in Leavesden, Hertfordshire where the Potter movies were also made. The film will feature the magical creatures from the Potter universe and will reportedly have a different cast from the original franchise.
