Summary

HBO shared first look photo of Harry Potter TV series and announced 2027 release window.
New cast members include actors for Ollivander, Madam Hooch, Neville Longbottom.
John Lithgow plays Dumbledore; Paapa Essiedu cast as Snape in HBO's Harry Potter series.

More details have been shared about HBO's highly anticipated Harry Potter series, and fans will want to hear these exciting updates.

Ever since HBO's TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling's book series was announced in 2023, fans have been curious about what it will look like. Several cast members were announced a few months ago, and every time fans hear about an actor playing a beloved role, they wonder what parts of the books and movies will be included this time around. While there's no doubt that the TV series will feature many familiar elements, from the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry setting to compelling plot points like the Quidditch World Cup, it would also be great to see some changes. Now HBO has shared a few big updates about the continuation of this beloved and memorable story.

Harry Potter TV Show Might Be Bringing on One Book Character Who Wasn’t in the Movies

One character from the world of Harry Potter could be making their way into the upcoming HBO TV series.

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By Rachael Fiddis

HBO's Harry Potter TV Series Has A First Look Photo And Release Window

Variety reported that HBO has shared a first look image of the beloved teen wizard in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series and also announced a 2027 release date window. The series has begun filming.

The image shows Dominic McLaughlin wearing Harry Potter's Hogwarts uniform and the glasses that Harry is famous for. McLaughlin's costars include Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger.

There's even more exciting news for Harry Potter fans: a few new actors have joined the cast. Anton Lesser will play Garrick Ollivander, Louise Brealey will play Madam Rolanda Hooch, and Amos Kitson will play Harry's cousin Dudley Dursley. Rory Wilmot has also been cast in the role of Neville Longbottom. It will be interesting to see what parts of Neville's character arc are included in the TV adaptation.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson became famous after portraying the three Hogwarts students and good friends in the film franchise, and the HBO Harry Potter series has already put these three young stars in the spotlight. Isaac Hempstead Wright, who starred on Game of Thrones, recently said that the actors should "enjoy" this thrilling time in their careers.

Besides wanting to know who would take on the three main characters, fans were also intrigued by the casting of two notable roles: Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. John Lithgow is playing Dumbledore and has spoken about the part in a few interesting interviews, including one with The Hollywood Reporter when he said Dumbledore is "the nuclear weapon" of the story. Richard Harris and Michael Gamdon played Dumbledore in the Harry Potter film franchise. Paapa Essiedu was cast as Snape, a role originally played by Alan Rickman.

A few weeks ago, Variety reported that HBO's Harry Potter series could arrive in 2026, so the 2027 release window is definitely exciting. While the exact date is unknown at the time of this writing, the series will premiere 16 years after the final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, which was released in 2011. The show is also coming quite a long time after the final novel in the series was published in 2007.