HBO has officially confirmed the first six cast members for a new Harry Potter TV series.
The network has confirmed the first six stars who have landed top roles, playing Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid and Minerva McGonagall, in the new high-profile TV adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter franchise.
Each season is said to be based on JK Rowling's novels, with each book making up one season. And it's not long before it's expected to hit our TV screens soon, with Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO, David Zaslav, previously revealing in 2024 that the show's release is in 2026.
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New stars are set to take on the roles of Harry, Hermione and Ron, who were previously played by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in the film franchise, while other actors will be taking on the roles of other key characters.
The series was confirmed in 2023 with the promise of a 'faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer JK Rowling'.
The hotly-anticipated show is expected to run for at least a decade.
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"We’re delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can’t wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life,” Francesca Gardiner, showrunner and executive producer and Mark Mylod, director of multiple episodes and executive producer, said as per The Independent.
Now, HBO has revealed Nick Frost will play the half-giant Rubeus Hagrid, taking over the role from the late Robbie Coltrane.
Following the announcement, Frost wrote on Instagram: "Thank you for trusting me with such a loyal, gentle and courageous half-giant like Rubeus Hagrid. Robbie, I promise I won’t let you down.”
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Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, John Lithgow, has also been cast as Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the wizarding school, Hogwarts, despite rumors of Mark Rylance tipped as the favorite for the part.
Richard Harris took on the role in the first two Harry Potter films, followed by Michael Gambon for the remainder of the movies.
Jude Law also played a younger version of the Hogwarts headmaster in the Fantastic Beasts movies.
However, Lithgow announced his casting earlier this month, saying the news 'came as a total surprise to me'.
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He told Screenrant: "I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid.
"But I’m very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That’s why it’s been such a hard decision.
"I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.”
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Taking on former Dame Smith's role as Minerva McGonagall will be Golden Globe winner, Janet McTeer.
McTeer has been confirmed after Sharon Horgan and Rachel Weisz were reportedly in the running.
The line-up also boasts Paul Whitehouse as Hogwarts' caretaker, Argus Filch, Luke Thallon as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Quirinus Quirrell, and Paapa Essiedu as Professor Severus Snape.
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Celebrating the announcement, fans raced to Twitter to discuss the line-up.
"All of them have really big shoes to fill," one fan wrote.
"Wow, that's a solid casting line-up for the Harry Potter TV series," a second said.
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"Ain’t no way they dropped a lineup like that… Nick Frost as Hagrid is wild, but Paapa Essiedu as Snape? This finna be a whole new vibe," a third wrote. "HBO not playin."
"Great castings but we are still waiting on the big three," a fourth said.
Topics: Harry Potter, HBO, JK Rowling, US News, World News, Film and TV, Celebrity
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