We finally know who will be leading HBO's new Harry Potter adaptation – screen newcomers Dominic McLaughlin will star as Harry Potter, while Arabella Stanton will play Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout will be Ron Weasley. You can see their first official image together above, although we hope to get one in costume very soon.
The young trio are joining the cast alongside some already announced names, including Conclave star John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
We're sure each role in the Harry Potter series was a challenge to cast, but nothing compares to finding the new Harry, Ron and Hermione. They are the heart of the story, after all, and we are about to see them growing up on screen for the next ten years.
"After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron," said showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod in a statement shared today.
"The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen. 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," they added.
There are still a lot of key roles to be announced for HBO's adaptation, such as Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, the Dursley family, and more.
The upcoming series was originally slated for a 2026 premiere, but it's now set to be release in 2027. Production will begin later this year, and is set to take place in Studio Leavesden, where the film franchise was also produced.
For more HBO, check out our list of the best Max movies and the best Max shows to stream right now.
The upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, on which J.K. Rowling is an executive producer, has been the subject of criticism and debate due to the author’s public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. It was a similar situation with the Hogwarts Legacy launch, and you can read more about the Hogwarts Legacy controversy in our explainer.
