Since HBO’s announcement of their Harry Potter television series, audiences have been concerned about the potential cast, but already, the show is (mostly) sticking to one important rule. Set to be released in 2026, HBO’s Harry Potter is in the midst of pre-production, which means casting the iconic characters and preparing for filming over this summer. Thus far, six of the most important adult characters from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone have been casted, including Dumbledore, Snape, and Professor McGonagall. Though backlash is pretty much inevitable at this point, the cast is maintaining one solid rule.
The first official members of Harry Potter’s cast include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, and Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell. Lithgow was announced earlier this year, while actors like Essiedu and Frost were rumored to be taking on their roles long before the official confirmation from HBO. With these six actors now on-board, there are a few things to appreciate about HBO’s casting.
The Harry Potter Remake’s First Casting Announcements Are Mostly Actors From The U.K.
Why Actors From The U.K. Are Important For Harry Potter
One positive of Harry Potter’s initial casting is that the actors are almost entirely from the United Kingdom. Essiedu was born in London, McTeer in Wallsend, England, Frost in Dagenham, England, Whitehouse in Wales, and Thallon in London as well. Though this may seem like a small detail considering the vastness of this project, and there is no guarantee that the rest of the cast will follow suit, it will definitely make a difference in Harry Potter’s final product. Harry Potter is a British story, so it will be useful to have most of the characters played by British people.
These Harry Potter actors will not have to change their accents or do any extra work outside delving into the Harry Potter books.
Really, what makes the origins of Harry Potter’s cast so important is authenticity. There is no doubt that actors are able to put on accents and do the proper research to fully embody a character, but so much of that effort can be cut down if the actors are already from the place where the project is set. These Harry Potter actors will not have to change their accents or do any extra work outside delving into the Harry Potter books. This is just one element of the development process that will be easier.
Despite Dumbledore Being American, The HBO Show Is Sticking To The Movies’ Casting Trend
HBO’s Harry Potter Cast Has Big Shoes To Fill
Among Harry Potter’s cast, there is one American in the mix: Lithgow. Fortunately, this doesn’t disrupt things too much. Lithgow has used a British accent in past projects, and it has worked out successfully, meaning he should be able to do the same for Harry Potter. Lithgow’s Americanness is really just a tiny bump within an otherwise strong plan to keep Harry Potter British, just like the movies did. Obviously, HBO wants to set its Harry Potter apart from the original franchise, but this similarity in actors is a smart decision.
Related
John Lithgow Has Proven He Can Do A British Accent As Dumbledore At Least 4 Times
John Lithgow has been cast as Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter series, raising skepticism about an American actor playing an iconic British character.
Part of what makes HBO’s British casting so good is that the show already has big shoes to fill. The Harry Potter movies included massive stars, from Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith to Michael Gambon and Ralph Fiennes. These actors not only became their characters, but are also recognized for other incredible projects they have worked on. Because of this, HBO will no doubt have a hard time with its cast being compared to that of the movies. However, casting British actors already cuts down on critiques that audiences could potentially make.
The Harry Potter Remake’s Casting Approach Will Make Exceptions Even Less Noticeable
When Will HBO Cast The Rest Of Harry Potter
Finally, one more benefit of Harry Potter’s initial British casting is that it implies the rest of the cast will also follow this trend. With only one American out of six actors, it seems probable that the rest of Harry Potter’s cast will also be British, especially the younger actors, who may not be as well-versed in accents. Plus, even if another American were to join the cast, having mostly British actors would help ease this transition. It is a small thing, but will make a big difference in Harry Potter’s reception.
Now that the main adults have been cast, audiences are likely wondering when the rest of Harry Potter’s actors will be revealed. The characters of Harry, Ron, and Hermione are of the utmost interest. At this point, there is no hint at when this information will be released, yet a casting call did go out for young actors in September 2024. With filming set to begin this summer, it seems like Harry Potter lovers will have their new cast sooner rather than later.
Harry Potter
- Showrunner
-
Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
-
Mark Mylod