I agree, there's zero chance he's Frank. He doesn't seem like he has the acting credentials for a role like that.

Even if Frank's role is reduced to it's absolute minimum, it would still likely require a few lines of dialogue and extended screen time, whereas this guys resume would indicate he's more of a "Featured Extra".

Therefore, I think you can take "Mr Potts" as a role name at face value, and would assume that his name will likely be spoken, in order to justify such a name. (i.e. he's not playing "Disgruntled Fish Monger" or "Bus Passenger #5).

Hence why I'm in the "School Teacher" camp. Or maybe a swimming instructor. Someone who has a brief enough interaction with Digory to require his name to be spoken, and for the Extra to require a screen credit.

I'm genuinely surprised at how little had leaked on the casting front... nice to know there will be other actors in this movie 😉

There were a few comments on the home page about his pointed ears. I'm not sure it's worth reading into it any further, but it's certainly a unique feature of his. I'ts not that hard to imagine a Narnian faun referred to as Mr. Potts

Posted by: @fantasia

I BELIEVE he was seen at a fish marketplace (though I may have misunderstood that) so maybe he's just someone Digory interacts with on the way too and from wherever it is he's going. 

I don't think we've seen him in any photos yet. His casting "announcement" was lumped into the same article on What's On Netflix, which probably accounts for the confusion!

Posted by: @impending-doom

 I'ts not that hard to imagine a Narnian faun referred to as Mr. Potts

Interesting idea! That never occured to me before.... .Mr Tumnus, Mr Potts... It's not totally impossible I guess.

@icarus any adult male can be referred to as 'Mr'. There's no connection for me!

Posted by: @impending-doom

I don't think we've seen him in any photos yet. His casting "announcement" was lumped into the same article on What's On Netflix, which probably accounts for the confusion!

okay, apologies for the misinformation then. I will edit my post. 

Posted by: @impending-doom

I'ts not that hard to imagine a Narnian faun referred to as Mr. Potts

That's something I didn't even consider, and I need to keep in mind that, duh, there are other cast members besides those hanging out in London. So good thought! However, again, I don't want to be judgemental here, but is Aslan going to create elderly fauns and dwarfs and talking beasts, etc? So I personally lean against that idea myself. 

"Mr Potts" sounds potentially like a rather comical character — reminds me of Caractacus Potts, the eccentric inventor in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or a male version of Mrs Potts the teapot in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. But if it's a minor role, played by a fairly old actor who has only signed up for a small part, I'm guessing he's most likely going to be a teacher at Digory's school, perhaps supervising the boys in the scene at the swimming pool. Maybe a cantankerous sort of character who tells Digory off for some kind of misbehaviour. Or he might be a Londoner who has an interaction with Jadis somewhere in her scenes. Could be a range of possibilities.

I don't mind the thought of a named Faun being part of the action somehow, but Bonington does look too old for a newly created one, and "Potts" is a very English surname, whereas all the names Lewis gives to Fauns, such as the list of them in Prince Caspian — "Mentius and Obentinus and Dumnus, Voluns, Voltinus, Girbius, Nimienus, Nausus, and Oscuns" — are obviously based on Latin. So I don't think that's likely.

Considering this is one of the few bits of casting information we have, and so far the only filming we're aware of is taking place in London and Manchester, I think it's most probable he'll be a minor-but-named character in one of the London scenes.

Another possibility is one of the Englishmen who run up in front of Digory's house after the witch returns there claiming that the witch stole their goods from their shops.

Posted by: @coracle

any adult male can be referred to as 'Mr'. There's no connection for me!

I don't think so either, but I wanted to throw out that suggestion. Aside from school/swim teacher, which I think is my bet, I could see him being a neighbour to the Ketterleys with a throwaway line (or two) of dialogue said to Uncle Andrew or the children.

I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up with no spoken words in the final cut of the movie either. 

I was just thinking he could be the doctor visiting Mabel, but then I realised he'd have the title 'Dr' .