Harry Potter: New projects for Emma Watson, Tom Felton, more

It’s summer, O.W.L.s have been taken and we’re all itching to get back to the castle, which means it’s time for another update to Hogwarts’ Alumni Newsletter.

Last time around when we caught up with the gang, we were excited that Daniel Radcliffe was set to star in a version of Frankenstein as the hunchbacked assistant Igor. This week, a bunch of new projects have been announced that have us thrilled for Hogwarts’ former (and current) favorite sons and daughters. I won’t rehash previously announced work, just the things they’ve added to their growing résumés recently. Read on to find out why it’s possible Emma Watson will be known for a different franchise come 2015. I mean, not really: She’ll clearly always be Hermione Granger. But she’s got another potential big movie happening too! Good things all around!

Most Likely To Be a Franchise MVP: Emma Watson

Hot off her hilarious turn as herself in This Is the End comes news that Watson will star in a potential movie franchise based on the upcoming book The Queen of the Tearling, EW has confirmed. The book is part of Erika Johansen’s fantasy trilogy, “whose 19-year-old female lead was partly inspired by a speech the author heard Barack Obama give in 2007. Harper Collins will publish the trilogy, which has been described as a female Game of Thrones, beginning in 2014. The book is set three centuries after an environmental catastrophe when a malevolent Red Queen holds considerable power,” Variety reports. There isn’t a director or writer attached to the project yet, but Harry Potter producer David Heyman will produce. Anyone who saw This Is the End (or, heck, any of the Potter films) knows Watson has no problem wielding a weapon.

+75 Points to Gryffindor for starring in an intriguing project with a Harry Potter producer (!)

Most Likely to Replace Aaron Paul as Your Creepy-but-Hot Television Boyfriend: Tom Felton

Felton hasn’t been slouching the past couple of weeks either. He’s joined the cast of TNT’s drama pilot murder mystery Murder in the First, according to Deadline. He’ll play Erich Blunt, “the cocky, spectacularly wealthy CEO of Applicon, a tech genius.” So basically, Draco Malfoy grew up, became Lucius, and now prowls around Malfoy Manor in between inventing iPods? I won’t not watch every episode of that.

Somewhat less excitingly, he’ll also appear in this fall’s Neil LaBute-written Full Circle on DirecTV. Also starring Cheyenne Jackson, Minka Kelly and Kate Walsh, this 10-episode series centers on a string of conversations in a restaurant that wind up being interconnected. The restaurant is not The Three Broomsticks, unfortunately.

+50 Points to Slytherin for figuring out a way that I can check in on you weekly; -20 Points from Muggles who were hoping to have active social lives this year.

Most Likely to Be Up for a Harry Potter Reunion: Rupert Grint

Rupert Grint’s potential television show Super Clyde — about a meek, unassuming fast food worker (Grint) who decides to become a superhero, didn’t get picked up. But never fear, guy who is known for playing a character who often is overshadowed by the accomplishments of his friends! (Oof.) We’ll find a project for you yet. I’d love to see Grint as part of an ensemble (not unlike a crew of Weasleys … ). I think he could really shine getting himself cast as part of a Judd Apatow-esque comedy crew on a television show, à la Freaks and Geeks.

+20 Points to Gryffindor for trying something different; -30 points from Team Muggles for us not making it work this time around.

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