In April 2023, HBO announced the Harry Potter franchise was officially being rebooted as a multi-season television show. Filming began in 2025, and the premiere is planned for 2027. The studio revealed a new, young cast to portray the franchise’s main trio – Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This Harry Potter reboot will allow for a book-accurate retelling as each season will be dedicated to one book, with plenty of time to go into depth about key characters and details that were never explored in the films. Let’s take a moment to look at the officially confirmed casting, and what we know so far (harrypotter.com).
The New Harry Potter: Dominic McLaughlin
13-year-old Dominic McLaughlin, from Glasgow, Scotland, has been cast as Harry Potter. The only other credited performance was a local drama before his breakout role. According to casting directors, McLaughlin impressed everyone with his emotional range, quiet strength, and undeniably engaging qualities. He was selected from more than 32,000 auditionees around the world by J.K. Rowling and the executive team. The early buzz from set insiders, is that he possesses great and natural on-screen chemistry with his co-stars and captures the character Harry’s entire character arc from being the underdog to the hero (People).
Hermione Granger: Arabella Stanton
Arabella Stanton, a 12-year-old British actress from a musical theatre background will be portraying Hermione Granger. Stanton is perhaps best known for playing the title role in Matilda the Musical on the West End. Apparently, Stanton impressed the casting directors with her expressive delivery, depth of school girl intellect, and intensity, leading to her being cast as Hermione, a role that fans have applauded on social media for her talents and resemblance to book-Hermione’s determined spirit. Stanton will have to prepare by developing a Latin diction to say spells in addition to topical cool and not worrying about a two-day classical acting workshop.
Ron Weasley: Alastair Stout
British newcomer Alastair Stout will portray Ron Weasley. Stout is relatively unknown at this stage, but an interesting quirk was that his auditions showed off his sense of humour, depth of expressiveness, and grounded presence – all three essential traits for Ron’s warmth and loyalty. From what I gather, he bonded instantly with McLaughlin and Stanton, which also helped further the trio’s relationship on screen. Stout does not have any notable credits to his name, but we’ve super high expectations taking over Rupert Grint’s role.
Dumbledore, Snape, and the Professors
HBO has put together a solid supporting cast. John Lithgow is stepping into the role of Albus Dumbledore, and although he is coming at this with decades of experience, he also brings a nice gentleness and wisdom for the character of Dumbledore. Then we have Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and I have to say, I’ve seen Essiedu do some fantastic work, particularly his intense performances in Shakespeare, with an emotional depth that is on another level from the rest of the work I’ve seen. Finally, Janet McTeer joins as Professor Matilda McGonagall, and Nick Frost portrays the lovable Hagrid. The breadth of experience across this faculty is potentially going to add to the emotional heft of the actors playing staff at Hogwarts.
Supporting Roles: The Weasleys, Dursleys, and Fudge
Katherine Parkinson has been cast as the much-loved Molly Weasley, bringing both warmth and humor to the crucial maternal role. Daniel Rigby and Bel Powley will play the unenviable Vernon and Petunia Dursley, delivering a more ‘streetwise’ take on these infamous Muggle relatives. Bertie Carvel will be playing Cornelius Fudge, the complicated Magisterium for Magic. The casting announcements round out an impressive ensemble, balancing new talent with an accomplished roster.
A Little Behind-The-Scenes in the Casting Process
Casting was undertaken by Lucy Bevan, who has credits for The Batman and Cruella. Auditioning took place all over the UK and beyond, with over 32,000 child actors applying for the three trio roles. The final cast were taken through chemistry readings and a series of rigorous training sessions, including sequences to train the ensemble in how to use wands, choreography and classes around magical theory. HBO had engaged with child psychologists and educational consultants during this phase to ensure the children had a healthy working environment, which provided the ultimate reassurance that there was strong commitment towards child actor occupational safety.
Casting the Villains: Draco, Lucius, Bellatrix & More
Lox Pratt has been cast as young Draco Malfoy, and Johnny Flynn plays his father, Lucius Malfoy. I believe these two will create a credible aristocratic sense of menace inherent to the Malfoy story.The casting of Bellatrix Lestrange was an interesting one. In later seasons, Bellatrix will be played by Bel Powley. If you’ve seen her work in The Morning Show and Diary of a Teenage Girl, they’re relatively different performances from one another but very impactful, and I would expect nothing less from her future portrayal of Bellatrix in what will undoubtedly be a much-anticipated later season. The casting of these villains seems to indicate HBO will be offering another villain humanizing interpretation complete with the darkness and twisted allure of the villain.
Comparison With Original Film Cast
Comparisons with the original trio—Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint—will, of course, be inevitable. So far, fan reactions have been largely positive, praising the new cast for creating something fresh rather than replicating the previous successes. John Lithgow’s Dumbledore will be pretty easily compared to Richard Harris’s regal calm and Michael Gambon’s gravitas. Paapa Essiedu’s Snape is generating fresh buzz for what some describe as possible additional layers of emotional complication. If it is well written and directed, they may be able to stand on their own before indictment as the “new Harry, Ron, or Hermione.”
Can the Cast Win Over the Fandom?
Only time will tell on how the fandom as a group embraces the re-boot cast. With a trio of excellent actors, some care in casting, and emphasis on fidelity to the source material, HBO is setting the foundation for a strong retelling of the Harry Potter saga. So far, so good. The only thing left to figure out is whether McLaughlin’s earnestness, Stanton’s intelligence, or Stout’s warmth will allow this trio to grow into household names over the next decade. Could this be the refresh of their magic the franchise so desperately needed?
FAQs
Who is going to be Harry Potter in the HBO series?
Dominic McLaughlin is going to play Harry Potter; a 13-year old actor from Glasgow.
Who is playing Hermione Granger in the reboot?
Arabella Stanton is a child West End star who will be Hermione Granger.
When will the Harry Potter TV series be released?
The Harry Potter TV series will be released on a sporadic rollout model in early 2027, filming would start in 2025.
Is J.K. Rowling involved in casting or production?
Yes, J.K. Rowling is involved in production as an executive producer which means she will have some degree of creative oversight.
Which adult cast members have been confirmed?
John Lithgow (Dumbledore), Paapa Essiedu (Snape), Janet McTeer (McGonagall), Nick Frost (Hagrid), Katherine Parkinson (Molly Weasley).
