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It seems difficult to think of a time when the Harry Potter franchise wasn’t a huge part of our lives, and it’s been nearly thirty years since J.K. Rowling released the novel that would change everything — Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. That first book launched one of the most iconic franchises in literary and film history. That book was the first in a total of seven books, which would lead to eight films, as well as a spinoff franchise — Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Credit: Video Screenshot, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’, Warner Bros.
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The last film in the franchise — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 — came out in 2011, and many fans will tell you that it feels like just yesterday when they sat in the theaters to see the end of the story. So, many fans were shocked when, in 2023, Warner Bros. and HBO Max announced that they were creating a new series based on the iconic books.
Warner Bros. shared that the series would last an entire decade and dive deeper into the books than the movies were able to. The series wouldn’t add to the film franchise, but instead would tell the story from the beginning.
The announcement was met with a lot of debate, with fans not sure they wanted to see a new cast just yet, when the film’s original casting was so incredible. But there were also fans who would not wait to see a new Harry Potter show on their television screens.
Credit: HBO Max
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Of course, the biggest question on everyone’s mind for the past two years was who HBO Max would cast to play Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. And that question was answered on May 27, when HBO Max shared an official image of the three young actors who will play the lead roles. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton was cast as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will play Ron Weasley.
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.
Please welcome Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley to the HBO Original Series Harry Potter.
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The post was quickly flooded with comments from those who were excited about the announcement and looked forward to seeing how these young, talented actors could bring such beloved characters to life in a new way.
Unfortunately, HBO Max was forced to turn the comments section off when the racist trolls also began to take over the comments section with disgusting comments aimed at Arabella Stanton. In the original film series, Hermione Granger was played by Emma Watson, a white actress. Arabella Stanton is a multi-racial British actress who has a darker skin tone and was targeted by the trolls.
This is not the first time an actress playing Hermione has been attacked by racists. The play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child first hit the West End stage in 2016 and takes place 19 years after the events of the books. The play exploded and became one of the most in-demand Broadway plays just two years later. Sadly, the actress playing Hermione, the talented Noma Dumezweni, was frequently insulted simply because she was black.
Credit: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
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Ms. Stanton is not the only actor from the new series who has been attacked for their race. When it was announced that Paapa Essiedu would be playing Severus Snape, there was a lot of backlash. In the book series, Snape has a very specific look, including “greasy, shoulder-length black hair, a sallow complexion, and a hooked nose.”
The role was expertly played by Alan Rickman in the movies, and it seems hard to top the amazing job that he did. But that wasn’t the issue people had with Essiedu’s casting. They did not like the fact that the British actor is black, as they felt that he could not accurately depict the role.
Credit: Video Screenshot, ‘The Lazarus Project’, Sky Studios
The roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione are not the only roles that have been officially cast at this point. We also know who will play the important roles of Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Rubius Hagrid, and more.
Here are the castings that we know of, so far:
- Dominic McLaughlin – Harry Potter
- Alastair Stout – Ron Weasley
- Arabella Stanton – Hermione Granger
- John Lithgow – Albus Dumbledore
- Janet McTeer – Minerva McGonagall
- Paapa Essiedu – Severus Snape
- Nick Frost – Rubeus Hagrid
- Paul Whitehouse – Argus Filch
- Luke Thallon – Quirinus Quirrell
Credit: Video Screenshot, ‘The Crown’, Netflix
Filming for the new Harry Potter series is expected to begin this summer, and the show is expected to premiere on HBO Max sometime in late 2026. The series will be filmed in Leavesden, where the movies were also filmed.
We will keep readers updated as we learn more details about the upcoming series.
Are you excited to see new actors and actresses take on the roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Do you like to see more diverse casting in such an iconic franchise? Will you be watching the new series, or does your loyalty lie with the original films? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
