London, United Kingdom:
Warner Bros. Discovery said Thursday that the third season of HBO’s hit TV series The White Lotus will premiere in February, followed a few months later by the second installment of “The Last of Us.”
While unveiling its upcoming global programming slate, HBO and Max streaming service CEO Casey Bloys also confirmed that the highly anticipated “Game of Thrones” prequel, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is set for release late next year. Is ready.
Additionally, the first “Harry Potter” television series — which was announced last year and is currently in casting — is scheduled to begin shooting at Warner Bros.’s Leavesden Studios in the U.K. in mid-2025, Bloys said.
With JK Rowling, author of the mega-selling books, among its executive producers, it is envisioned as a “decade-long series” featuring newcomers to the films.
“Succession” director and executive producer Mark Mylod revealed at the London announcement event that the casting team was currently reviewing 32,000 submissions for children’s roles.
“We’ll keep an eye on everybody,” Mylod said. He said the team is currently reviewing 500 to 1,000 tapes a day. They then hope to hold a “workshop with some of our selected candidates” in January.
He said he took the films’ “extraordinary actors” “incredibly seriously”.
He added, “But we follow the ethos of the films in seeking out British acting talent, not necessarily the biggest stars.”
Rowling has faced accusations of transphobia in recent years for emphasizing biological sex rather than gender identity in comments about trans women. She denies the allegation.
Asked if he was concerned that his involvement in the production might prove problematic, Bloys said he was “not worried”.
The award-winning dark comedy The White Lotus is set in Thailand this time, starring veteran Hollywood star Scott Glenn alongside megastar K-pop girl group Blackpink’s singer Lisa.
Meanwhile, the post-apocalyptic drama “The Last of Us” starring Pedro Pascal picks up where the acclaimed first season, released last year, left off.
Bloys, along with actor-turned-executive producer Salma Hayek, also announced that Max has commissioned a second season of HBO’s current Spanish-language hit “Like Water for Chocolate.”
Based on the 1989 best-selling novel of the same name by Mexican author Laura Esquivel, it has been one of the most-watched series on the platform since its release last month.
Hayek said, “It’s incredible to see such an important Mexican story resonating with audiences around the world.”
“We are thrilled to confirm a second season of ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ and look forward to bringing such a strong and powerful story to a close.”
Bloys said Max is moving on from what some are calling “disorganized” programming across the industry following the Hollywood strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I believe we’ve come through all of this, for the next two years, starting with (20)25, we have a very strong slate,” he said.
Max, which streams its own original shows and big-budget HBO titles as well as Warner Bros. movies and other content, is available in the United States, some Latin American and European countries, and parts of Asia.
Focusing on original local programming, it is set to expand to other countries, including the UK and Australia, in the coming years.
Following the recent success of its first scripted series, “The Confidant,” in France, it will launch several new French-language shows on the platform next year.
These include a reimagining of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ classic novel “Dangerous Liaisons,” which will be called “The Seduction” outside France and stars Diane Kruger in the lead role.
“It’s time to tell again,” he said during a brief appearance at an event in London. “It’s an interesting side of the story.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
