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Harry Potter: Nick Frost Nearing Deal to Play Hagrid in HBO Series (Report)

Harry Potter: Nick Frost Nearing Deal to Play Hagrid in HBO Series (Report)

Yahoo26-03-2025

Nick Frost ought to start practicing his best, 'Yer a wizard, Harry' in the mirror.
The British actor is nearing a deal to play Rubeus Hagrid in HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter series, according to our sister site Deadline.
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TVLine has reached out to HBO and Frost's reps for comment. Should Frost officially nab the role of Hogwarts' beloved groundskeeper and Harry Potter's first friend in the wizarding world, he would succeed the late Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in all eight of the Harry Potter films.
Thus far, HBO's Harry Potter project — described as a 'faithful adaptation' of J.K. Rowling's seven novels — has unofficially cast John Lithgow (3rd Rock From the Sun) as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, while other reported in-the-works castings include Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) as Potions professor Severus Snape and Janet McTeer (Ozark) as Transfiguration professor Minerva McGonagall. Other members of Harry Potter's large ensemble have yet to be cast, including the main trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Frost's previous TV work includes Why Women Kill, The Nevers and Into the Badlands. He's perhaps better known, though, for starring alongside Simon Pegg in the movies Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End, also referred to as the Three Flavours Cornetto film trilogy.
What do you make of Frost as 's potential Hagrid? Weigh in below.
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Tony Awards biggest moments: Cynthia Erivo holds space, Nicole Scherzinger wins big
Tony Awards biggest moments: Cynthia Erivo holds space, Nicole Scherzinger wins big

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Tony Awards biggest moments: Cynthia Erivo holds space, Nicole Scherzinger wins big

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‘Game of Thrones' Spinoff ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Shifts to 2026 Release
‘Game of Thrones' Spinoff ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Shifts to 2026 Release

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

‘Game of Thrones' Spinoff ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Shifts to 2026 Release

'Game of Thrones' fans will have to wait a while longer to head back to Westeros, as the premiere of new spinoff series 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' has now been slated for 2026. While no official premiere date was ever set, Warner Bros. Discovery execs had previously said that the series, the second HBO prequel to 'Game of Thrones' following 'House of the Dragon,' would air by the end of 2025. More from Variety Kit Harington Recalls the 'Humiliating' Experience of Bella Ramsey Telling Him His Lines on 'Game of Thrones': 'That Child Actor Is Wiping Me Off the Screen' 'Game of Thrones' Actor Iain Glen on Tackling Philippine History in New Film 'Quezon': It 'Makes You Appreciate the Era That You're in' 'Bridgerton' Star Luke Thompson, 'Gangs of London's' Sope Dirisu and More Join Cold-Read Play 'An Oak Tree' at Young Vic (EXCLUSIVE) On Wednesday, the news of the show's push to 2026 was revealed via a first look at the 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' trailer that was shown during WBD's upfront presentation to advertisers at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The title card at the end of the footage said '2026,' but HBO content chairman and CEO Casey Bloys narrowed that down further on stage by saying the show was coming in the 'winter' when he cued up the teaser, indicating an early 2026 release. HBO has not set a premiere window for the third season of 'House of the Dragon.' 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' is adapted from George R.R. Martin's novella 'The Hedge Knight,' and will follow the exploits of the knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his young squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), roughly 100 years before the events of 'Game of Thrones' and 100 years after the events of 'House of the Dragon.' Dunk and Egg's journey will take them to a competition in which they encounter several members of the Targaryen dynasty — including Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett), Prince Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) and Prince Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell) — along with another knight known as the Laughing Storm, Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings), and a puppeteer named Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford). The full logline for the series is: 'A century before the events of 'Game of Thrones,' two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.' 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' is written and executive produced by Martin and Ira Parker ('The Sympathizer,' 'House of the Dragon'). Ryan Condal (the showrunner and co-creator of HBO's 'House of the Dragon'), Vince Gerardis, Owen Harris and Sarah Bradshaw are executive Adina Smith ('Lessons In Chemistry,' 'Hanna') will direct three of the six episodes for Season 1; executive producer Harris will direct the other three episodes. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival

Epic Universe Food Review: What's Worth The Hype
Epic Universe Food Review: What's Worth The Hype

Buzz Feed

time4 hours ago

  • Buzz Feed

Epic Universe Food Review: What's Worth The Hype

Unless you've been living under a rock (okay, or maybe just quietly not paying attention to anything on social media), you probably know that Universal just officially opened its brand-new theme park in Orlando — Universal Epic Universe — and it's a huge deal. This is Universal's third park in Florida, and not only is it their biggest US expansion ever, it's also the first new major theme park built in the country since 1999 — yes...1999!!! The park has got five immersive worlds: a brand-new Harry Potter land set in 1920s Paris and the Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe based on the Universal Classic Monsters, Isle of Berk from How to Train Your Dragon, the retro-futuristic hub land Celestial Park, and Super Ninentdo World. I was lucky enough to be invited by Universal to attend the media preview ahead of the grand opening. While the park at the time hadn't been officially opened, it had been open for a couple of months for previews (or basically dress rehearsals). As you can see, I am enjoying an ice cold Frozen Butterbeer while trying to beat the heat while exploring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic. Over that time, several new foods that were created for the park have gone viral. This meant one thing: Now that I was here for the media preview, I needed to try those foods and see if they were actually worth the hype (looking at you, pizza from Pizza Moon)!!! Full disclosure: While I was invited by Universal to Epic Universe, all opinions are my own. PB&J (Pork, Bacon, and Jam) Mac & Cheese Cone available at Hooligan's Grog & Gruel in Isle of Berk Thoughts: This was the first food from Epic that I saw go viral and was all over my TikTok FYP. There are three different flavors to choose from: Goldfish Mac & Cheese Cone, PB&J Mac & Cheese Cone, and the Dragon Fire Chicken Spire Mac & Cheese Cone. Of these, it seems like the PB&J is the most popular choice. I have to say, I was impressed and really, really, really enjoyed the taste. The salty mac & cheese and cone mixed with the sweetness of the peanut butter bacon jam and BBQ harissa pulled pork was the perfect combo of savory and sweet. I can see why it has become an instant hit. It was also a hearty size, so I don't know if it was as much a snack as a whole lunch. This will for sure be something I get again when I go back to Epic!!! So don't skip 9 out of 10 Frank & Friends Pretzel available at DeLacey's Cottage in Dark Universe Thoughts: I am not the biggest fan of pretzels. But, when I find a good one, I will certainly not say no and will more than enjoy it. I had seen the Frank & Friends Pretzel a lot on social media, so I was curious to try it. Sadly, I was pretty disappointed with it. It was a flat, soft pretzel that came with a (cream cheese?) dipping sauce. Maybe it was the salt, but the texture and flavor were more like an untoasted salt bagel — it was also missing the chewy outer crust that pretzel bread has. I also didn't love the dipping sauce, which was like runny cream cheese. Now, this could have just been the pretzel from the batch I got, but I would skip that said, DeLacey's Cottage also sells Warm Hearted Cinnamon Bites, which are cinnamon sugar donut bites with cream cheese icing and streusel. I didn't have these, but several people I was with did, and they all really enjoyed them and raved, so those might be the way to go if you're looking to try something at DeLacey's 1.5 out of 10 Pizza Lunare, The Giant Mushroom, and The Pizza Moon Pepperoni pizza available at Pizza Moon in Celestial Park Growing up in the '90s, I have not-so-great memories of eating pizza at amusement parks. While theme park foods have truly improved A LOT over the last 20 years, I don't know if I have had pizza at one since Clinton was in the White House. With that said, the word was that these pizzas were really, really good. But were they really, really good for a theme park pizza or really, really good in general? Verdict: They are really, really good in general!!!These are cooked in a fired oven, giving the crust and bottom crust a nice char that you would get at old-school traditional pizza places in New York or higher-end pizza restaurants. I tried three different flavors. Pizza Lunare Thoughts: This pizza, which is the one I saw most on my TikTok feed, includes roasted garlic béchamel, ricotta, pancetta, fromage garlic confit, and ube pizza crust (which gives it a purple-ish hue). Flavor-wise, it was fantastic! Certainly the more unusual one, because of the non-traditional ube crust and its flavor combo (which I have not had on a pizza before). Everything worked, and I really recommend it if you're looking for a pizza flavor combination that you haven't tried 8 out of 10 The Giant Mushroom Thoughts: Ingredients in it include a roasted garlic bechamel, wild mushrooms, and truffle aioli. I love mushrooms on my pizza, so I found this extremely delicious. I realize that not everyone loves mushrooms or truffles (which you do taste in the background), so this might be a skip. But if you like the earthy taste of mushrooms, then I recommend trying this one because I know you won't be 7.5 out of 10 The Pizza Moon Pepperoni Thoughts: The Pizza Moon Pepperoni keeps it classic with just cheese and pepperoni — and honestly, it doesn't need anything else. It was the simplest one I tried, but it was still seriously good and nailed all the basics. If you're in the mood for a no-frills, straight-up delicious pepperoni pizza, this one's a can' 8.5 out of 10 Koopa Troopa: Red Shell Calzone available at Yoshi's Snack Island in Super Mario World Thoughts: The location sells two different flavors of calzones: a green one that is vegan and a red one that is traditional. I went with the red one! This wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly memorable either — it was just…fine. The calzone was pretty standard (except with a thicker, more bread-like crust), filled with Italian meat sauce and mozzarella cheese, and, honestly, it kind of reminded me of a slightly fancier Hot Pocket. Not terrible by any means, but not something I'd go out of my way to get 3 out of 10 Yoshi's Mango Smoothie available at Yoshi's Snack Island in Super Mario World Thoughts: There were two flavors to choose from — mango and apple — and I went with mango since that's the one I've seen the most people rave about online. Right away, I wasn't sure if I'd like it because I'm not usually big on super-sweet things. Which is also why I chose the mango flavor, because I had heard that it was the least sweet of the two. But it turns out, it was actually really delicious, not overly sugary and genuinely refreshing. It also actually lives up to the name "smoothie" instead of just being a glorified slushy. What really sold it for me, though, were the fresh chunks of mango on top and the generous swirl of what tasted like fresh whipped cream — a nice little surprise I was not expecting. I would recommend this for 7 out of 10 DK Crush Float Tropical Banana Flavor available at The Bubbly Barrel in Donkey Kong Country (located within Super Mario World) Thoughts: Again, I'm not usually big on super sweet treats, so I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this float — a banana-flavored soft serve in a waffle cone, nestled in a cup of Fanta Pineapple soda, and topped with caramel popcorn and toffee. Yeah... it definitely sounds like a cavity waiting to happen. Since it was blazing hot when I got it, I didn't have much time to overthink it, so I had to dig in before it turned into soup. And honestly? I was surprised by how much I liked it. While it's definitely sweet, it's not as over-the-top as it sounds. The banana soft serve has a slight tartness that balances things out, and the caramel corn adds a nice salty crunch. This is one worth trying, especially if you're looking for a unique "only can get it at Epic" 7.5 out of 10 And lastly, the Butterbeer Crepe available at Café L'air De La Sirène in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic Thoughts: Yes, I know I've said over and over again that I'm not a fan of overly sweet treats, but I make a full exception when it comes to Butterbeer (maybe it's my soft spot for all things Harry Potter). The Butterbeer Crepe was everywhere online when Epic Universe previews first started, so naturally, it was the one thing I was most excited to try. And let me tell you: this crepe is a full-on Butterbeer overload in the best way possible. It's filled with a shortbread cookie butter, Bavarian cream, and Butterbeer cream, and topped with fresh strawberries (which added much-needed tartness and freshness), a shortbread cookie, Butterbeer whipped cream (like the kind you get on cold Butterbeer), and a Butterbeer drizzle. It's extremely rich and decadent, and obviously really sweet, but it's so, so delicious, and something I highly recommend. And it's also the type of dessert, because of its richness, that is great for even though it was nearly 100 degrees, I think the only thing that would have made it better was a cup of hot black coffee to enjoy with it!Rating: 9.5 out of 10 All in all, most of the viral foods at Epic Universe definitely live up to the hype. Whether you're going all-in on a Butterbeer crepe or just grabbing a classic pepperoni slice, there is definitely something for every kind of eater. BTW, there is more to come, I'll be reviewing the rides and giving my overall thoughts and tips on the park!!! Hungry for more? Download our free Tasty app to browse and save 7,500+ free recipes — no subscription required.

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