10 Confirmed Facts About the New Harry Potter TV show

The Harry Potter journey is not yet over. Much to the delight of fans, the series will debut on small screens in a first-ever televised version of the story. While several details of the TV series are in the dark, let’s have a look at 10 confirmed facts about the exciting series.

1. A 10-YEAR TREAT

The much-awaited Harry Potter TV show is likely to have 7 seasons. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has announced that the series will continue to run for 10 years. Further, he assured that the series will be “a faithful adaptation of the beloved original Harry Potter books”.

2. HARRY, RON & HERMIONE

The wait is finally over. HBO has officially revealed the kids who will portray the golden trio of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. Dominic McLaughlin is all set to get famous by playing the role of Harry. Meanwhile, Arabella Stanton will be the new Hermione and Alastair Stout the new Ron.

Announcing the role, HBO Max wrote on social media, “Dear Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Mr. Weasley: We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

Actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint had given life to these roles in the movies.

3. SEVERUS SNAPE

The creators have finalised British actor Paapa Essiedu to play the role of Severus Snape. Several fans criticised the casting of the Black actor to play this iconic role since the books describe Snape to be extremely “pale”.

“This is just…nonsense, Now imagine what will look like when white James Potter bullies black Severus Snape…Great way to push a racism, victim agenda,” a social media user commented.

Essiedu was earlier seen in Murder on the Orient Express and I May Destroy You.

Alan Rickman, who passed away in 2016, played the role of Snape in the movie franchise.

4. DUMBLEDORE

Oscar-nominated American actor John Lithgow confirmed that he is set to play the role of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. The 79-year-old actor is known for his role in movies like The Rise of the Planet of Apes, Cliffhanger and Interstellar.

5. HAGRID

HBO has officially confirmed that actor and comedian Nick Frost will portray the beloved half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the upcoming adaptation. He is best known for his role in Shaun of the Dead.

Hagrid remains one of the most cherished figures in the franchise, both on screen and in the books. Actor Robbie Coltrane, who passed away in 2022, originally brought the character to life in the films, setting a high standard with his warm presence and exceptional performance.

6. MINERVA MCGONAGALL

The makers have finalised English actress Janet McTeer to play the role of professor Minerva McGonagall, who is the deputy headmistress and the head of Gryffindor House at Hogwarts.

McTeer played the role of Nelly in Wuthering Heights (1992), Audrey in As You Like It (2006) and Will’s mother in Me Before You.

Dame Maggie Smith, who sadly passed away last year, originally portrayed McGonagall in the film series. Her performance left an indelible mark on the character, blending sternness with compassion in a way that made her portrayal unforgettable.

7. QUIRRELL

Actor Luke Thallon will play the negative role of Professor Quirinus Quirrell, who was Harry Potter’s first Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts.

Thallon is a 29-year-old stage actor. Notably, his role in the series will be limited since Quirrell dies at the end of book 1.

8. FILCH

HBO has also confirmed that Welsh actor and comedian Paul Whitehouse will play the role of Hogwarts staff Argus Filch.

Fun fact– Whitehouse sort of “appeared” in the Harry Potter movie series. He had acted the part of Sir Cadogan in Prisoner of Azkaban. However, his scenes were deleted from the final cut. Sir Cadogan is a minor character from one of the moving paintings at Hogwarts. In a deleted scene, he volunteered to guard the Gryffindor Tower after the Fat Lady was traumatised by the appearance of Sirius Black inside Hogwarts. In another deleted scene, McGonagall questions Cadogan after Sirius’ break-in. He tells the professor that he let Sirius in as he had the list of passwords written on a piece of paper. The passwords had been written by the forgetful Neville.

9. VOLDEMORT

Speculation is swirling that Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy may take on the role of Lord Voldemort in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. Known for his intense performances and commanding screen presence, Murphy is widely regarded as a fitting choice to portray the Dark Lord.

Best known for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023), Murphy has consistently delivered compelling performances in dark roles.

Fans have already voiced their support online, with many calling him the “perfect fit” for Voldemort.

10. NO REPETITION

HBO Executive Sarah Aubrey has stated that the team does not want to re-cast actors who were in the Harry Potter movies. This has ruled out fans’ hope of seeing actor Tom Felton play the role of Draco Malfoy’s father Lucius Malfoy in the TV series. Felton played Draco in the movies.

Meanwhile, Hero Fiennes Tiffin expressed that he is 100% open to join the series as any character. Though he emphasised that he has to be in Team Slytherin, adding, “I’m Slytherin ’till I die.” Notably, Tiffin had portrayed a young Tom Riddle in Half-Blood Prince. He was recently seen in the After series.

The Harry Potter series is expected to start airing on HBO Max in 2026 or 2027. HBO Max is a unit of Warner Bros, which produced and distributed the eight Harry Potter movies. The shooting is likely to start this year.

Want to see what the new actors will look like in their respective roles? Watch here-