HBO's Harry Potter television adaptation of J.K. Rowling's book series is reportedly eyeing big names for several key characters. The series was announced in April 2023 with Rowling taking on the role of executive producer despite controversy around some of the statements she made. Succession's writer sca Gardiner was recruited to write the script. With production slated to begin in summer 2025, the series is currently casting for its lead roles.

According to Deadline, the series is reportedly in talks with several big names for the HBO series. With the series staying faithful to the characters' ages in the original book series, the casting decisions will likely reflect that. Oscar winner and Dunkirk star Mark Rylance is reportedly in the running with Mark Strong (The Kingsman, The Penguin) for Dumbledore, while Black Mirror star Paapa Esiedu might play Severus Snape.

Pulling and Catastrophe's Sharon Horgan is rumored to play Professor McGonagall, with Rachel Weisz reportedly being in the mix as well. Emmy-winning Ted Lasso and Thor: Love and Thunder star Brett Goldstein is rumored to play Rubeus Hagrid.

What This Means For Harry Potter TV Series

Hogwarts Professors Might Be More Book Accurate

Severus Snape was born in 1960, which makes him approximately 38 years old when Voldemort kills him for the Elder Wand, while Minerva McGonagall is around 127 to 137 years old and Albus Dumbledore around 115 years old, which is not considered old age for wizards. Based on the casting rumors, the television series might have a different take on Hogwarts professors' appearances by casting actors who are close to their Harry Potter characters' ages in real life.

It also seems that the HBO series is looking to cast more established actors for the adult roles. Both Rylance and Strong are well-known faces in movies and television series. Strong stars in Dune: Prophecy, which is currently an ongoing show on HBO, and Weisz played one of the lead roles in The Mummy series.

Our Take On Harry Potter TV Series

The HBO Remake Series Offers Something Different

The film adaptations will always have a special place in fans' hearts. Through the films, the magic and characters in Rowling's books come to life, and there's simply no replacement for that. However, exploring the book series through the form of television series will be able to offer something different. While the original Harry Potter films are timeless, they also omit many characters and plots in order to fit the length of a book into a film. The television series, having a similar format to books, will be able to tell a more complicated story.

The Harry Potter remake series is set to hit HBO in 2026. It may seem like a long wait from the outside, but with filming and post-production, it leaves casting very little time. With tapes from 32,000 kids who have auditioned for the lead roles, the casting directors and showrunner have to sort through all that while exploring other options. While the news is not for certain this time around, there should be more news in the near future.

Source: Deadline