Meet The New Dumbledore, Hagrid And Snape As HBO Reveals Cast For Iconic Roles In ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series

April 15, 2025: HBO has officially revealed the first cast members for its upcoming Harry Potter TV series, with several key characters now cast. As reported by Variety, John Lithgow has been cast as the wise and complex Albus Dumbledore, while Janet McTeer will portray the stern but fair Minerva McGonagall. Paapa Essiedu has been confirmed for the role of Severus Snape, and Nick Frost will take on the beloved character of Rubeus Hagrid.

Additionally, Luke Thallon will join the cast in the recurring role of Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse will appear as the ever-grumpy Argus Filch. The casting news was met with excitement from Succession showrunner Francesca Gardiner and Game of Thrones director Mark Mylod, who serve as showrunner and executive producer, and director and executive producer, respectively, for the series. Both expressed their enthusiasm about the actors bringing these beloved characters to life.

“We are happy to announce the casting of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon, and Paul Whitehouse to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell, and Filch,” said Gardiner and Mylod in a joint statement. “We’re delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can’t wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life.”

The Harry Potter series, which is expected to begin filming this summer, has already made headlines for its open casting call, which attracted over 30,000 submissions for the iconic roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The series will adapt J.K. Rowling’s popular books for the screen, following the success of the original Harry Potter film franchise.

Francesca Gardiner, known for her work on Succession and His Dark Materials, will serve as the showrunner and writer for the series. Mark Mylod, acclaimed for his direction of multiple episodes of Game of Thrones and Succession, will also direct several episodes. Both have earned critical acclaim and Emmy awards for their work on HBO’s flagship series, and their involvement brings high expectations for the Harry Potter adaptation.

Originally slated to air on HBO Max, the series is now set to be part of a broader strategy to position it as an HBO original, as Warner Bros. Discovery reconfigures its content offerings. Fans of the wizarding world can expect the show to take a new approach to the classic story, with fresh talent and innovative storytelling.