The HBO/BBC coproduction of J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy is coming to America.
HBO has announced it will premiere the three-part comedic tragedy on Wednesday, April 29, 2015. Parts one and two will air from 8:00 - 10:00 PM EST, with part three debuting the very next day, on Thursday, April 30 at 8:00 PM. British viewers will see it much sooner, starting February 15.
The long-awaited miniseries is an adaptation of Rowling's first novel for adults, the subversive tale of a small British town called Pagford, which seems charming at first glance but has a nasty social war brewing under the surface. (The metaphorical surface, that is. There's nothing actually beneath the town.) The story tells the sometimes-hilarious story of various citizens around town attempting to fill a city council seat after a well-liked councilman dies.
The production reunites Michael Gambon with the work of J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter fans remember him as Professor Dumbledore in six of the eight Potter films. In The Casual Vacancy, Gambon headlines the cast as Howard Mollison, a local business owner and head of the city council. He's joined by Keely Hawes, Rory Kinnear, Monica Dolan, Julia McKenzie and others. It was written by Sarah Phelps and directed by Jonny Campbell.
Rowling's novel drew praise from reviewers for commenting on modern social issues like racism, drug use, abuse, rape and suicide. It is so far the only adult novel Rowling has published using her own name. She's since published a pair of detective thrillers — The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm — under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Both novels are expected to receive big-screen adaptations.
Rowling herself is currently writing the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an original script set in the magical world of Harry Potter but starring an all-new cast of characters and telling a completely separate story.
