Though the Harry Potter television series is still a ways off, fans have some exciting news this morning. Potterheads now have official word on six cast members joining the hallowed grounds of Hogwarts.

The hype for HBO's Harry Potter series is, unsurprisingly, quite high. For those who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s, there are few pop culture touchstones as universal as J.K. Rowling's venerable book series. The publishing world has yet to see a worldwide phenomenon quite like the midnight release parties surrounding each new release in the Harry Potter book series. The then-upcoming release of a new Harry Potter novel was a key subplot in The Devil Wears Prada, for crying out loud. Warner Bros. Film adaptation of the seven Harry Potter books is one of the highest-grossing and most beloved film franchises of all time. The opening of a third Harry Potter-inspired land at Universal Studios Orlando is mere weeks away. It's safe to say the Harry Potter franchise is going nowhere anytime soon.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

After multiple weeks of leaks and rumors surrounding the adult leads in HBO's Harry Potter series, the official word is finally out. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO has announced the first six cast members to join the show. Confirming the rumors that have been swirling for a while now, John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, and Nick Frost are all going to be teaching at Hogwarts, with the newly announced Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse joining them. With the key adults all locked down, the young leads of the show are sure to be the next ones coming down the line.

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Those who have been paying attention to the numerous rumors swirling around the Harry Potter cast will be unsurprised to learn that John Lithgow will be portraying Albus Dumbledore on the show. The multiple-time Emmy and Tony Award winner has some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, and Jude Law. Janet McTeer, of Ozark, The Menu, and Maleficent fame, will be playing Minerva McGonagall (a role made famous by the much-beloved and heavily-missed Maggie Smith). Nick Frost is set to take the role of Rubeus Hagrid, a fan-favorite character played in the films by Robbie Coltrane.

Paapa Essiedu is going to be taking on the biggest role of his relatively young career as the complicated Severus Snape. Essiedu is no stranger to the sci-fi/fantasy genre, having appeared in both Black Mirror and The Lazarus Project. Luke Thallon has been cast as Quirinus Quirrel—sorry to those fans who thought HBO was going to bag Cillian Murphy for the role—in the most prominent non-stage role of his acting career. Paul Whitehouse rounds out the announcement, being cast as grumpy groundskeeper Argus Filch. Time will tell if Whitehouse (best known in the States for his numerous appearances in Tim Burton films) manages to make the most out of Filch as David Bradley did in the films.

HBO and the creative team behind the Harry Potter series have an unenviable job of trying to distinguish the series from the eternally popular film franchise. How do you top the magical score of John Williams? How do you book directors as talented as Alfonso Cuarón and Chris Columbus? How do you nail the casting of the three lead children as the film series did? These are all monumentally difficult questions. That being said, they're off to a solid start in mixing beloved character actors with up-and-coming stars who will have their first chance to shine on a major, major stage. Here's hoping they stick the landing.