HBO has provided a first glimpse at the new world of Harry Potter, as filming begins on its hotly anticipated television adaptation of JK Rowling’s beloved book series.
A photo provided by the broadcaster shows Dominic McLaughlin in character as the young wizard for the first time. The 11-year-old was selected alongside Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger after an extensive casting search among British children aged 9-11. As with Daniel Radcliffe before him, McLaughlin sports Potter’s trademark round glasses and Gryffindor uniform.
“The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen,” said executive producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod while introducing the trio in May. “We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.”
HBO also announced new cast additions, including Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander.
Cameras have started rolling on the series at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden in the UK. The show, described as a “faithful adaptation” of Rowling’s bestselling novels with one season per book, “full of the fantastic detail, much-loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years”, according to HBO’s announcement in 2023.
Development of the show, executive-produced by Rowling and written by Gardiner, ignited feverish speculation over casting. HBO eventually confirmed that John Lithgow would play Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry originally played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon. Other confirmed cast include Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
Filling out the cast, for now, will be Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Johnny Flynn as his father Lucius, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley.
The series, directed in part by Succession veteran Mylod, is now expected to premiere on HBO in 2027, 30 years after the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (also known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), was published, and 16 years after the final film in the eight-part franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two.
