HBO's 2026 Harry Potter Reboot Cast Revealed

Man of Many

28-05-2025

By Dean Blake - News
Published: 28 May 2025
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Readtime: 6 min
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If you're anything like me, your feelings toward Harry Potter have changed a lot over the years. What was once a beloved story about kids learning magic and overcoming evil slowly morphed into something far more sinister, as the reality of series author J.K. Rowling's views on the world around her bled into how the books, and subsequent film adaptations, are remembered.
Well, HBO is hoping we've all forgotten about that, and is launching a new take on the series' storyline – a 'faithful adaptation' of the original source material with Rowling as an executive producer, this time told as a long-form TV series set to launch sometime in 2026.
The goal is to dive deeper into the world Rowling imagined than was possible in the eight movies (plus spin offs), and now we've got a pretty good look at most of the major cast members involved.
Harry Potter's New Cast Revealed
While some of the show's cast was revealed earlier in the piece, HBO had been auditioning 'thousands' of British younglings in an effort to track down its ideal trio of leads. Well, after what we're sure was an agonising search, we have our next Harry, Hermione and Ron.
Here's the full cast list as we know it so far:
Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout | Image: HBO
Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
A relatively unknown young actor taking the reigns as the titular 'boy who lived'? History is indeed repeating itself. Scotland-born Dominic McLaughlin will be picking up the mantle of Harry, following in the footsteps of Daniel Radcliff.
McLaughlin is 11-years-old, the same age Radcliff was during the filming of The Philosopher's Stone, and has previously performed in renditions of Macbeth in Edinburgh, as well as having recently wrapped filming on comedy film Grow alongside Harry Potter cast-mate Nick Frost.
He, alongside his fellow young castmates, was cast after HBO auditioned over 32,000 child actors across the United Kingdom in search of its new Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
Potentially the most experienced of the young trio, Arabella Stanton has several high-profile credits to her name already. Having starred as Matilda on West End, and as 'Control' in a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express, she's pretty accustomed to taking on lead roles.
Stanton will take on the role of the bookish fan-favourite Hermione Granger, the 'know-it-all' of the trio who regularly keeps the other two lads in check.
Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
Potentially the most unknown of the young trio, Alastair Stout seems to have no other credits to his name—at least as far as we could find—but definitely brings the Weasley charm.
The young Stout left an impact, however, with showrunner Francesca Gardiner stating that the group's talent is 'wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together on screen'.
John Lithgow | Image: Getty
John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
Lord Farquaad himself, John Lithgow, will be taking on the role of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry's iconic headmaster Albus Dumbledore—a role he believes will define the end of his career.
'It was a big decision, because it's probably the last major role I'll play,' Lithgow told The Times. 'It's an eight-year commitment so I was thinking about mortality and that this is a very good winding-down role.'
Janet McTeer | Image: Jake Chessum
Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
Perhaps best known more recently for her roles in Ozark and Jessica Jones, Janet McTeer is a career actor with more than 40-years experience in the industry. Here, she'll take on the role of Professor McGonagall, one of the most important and influential figures in the franchise.
Beyond television, McTeer has gained widespread acclaim for her wide range of film performances: including 1992's Wuthering Heights and 2022's The Menu, in which she acted alongside Ralph Fiennes, Lord Voldemort in the original film series.
Paapa Esseidu | Image; Curtis Brown
Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
A casting choice that feels designed to fuel online flame wars, HBO is taking the iconic Severus Snape in a wholly different direction in its elongated version on the Harry Potter universe: bringing in British Black actor Paapa Essiedu to tackle the series' most tragic and misunderstood character.
It's a double-edged sword for Esseidu: simultaneously an incredible opportunity to recontextualise Snape's arc (Why was he bullied so much as a kid? Why was he pushed to extremism?), and an open door to racial discrimination from keyboard warriors the world over.
Thankfully, Esseidu is a fantastic actor and more than has the chops necessary to deliver a unique take on the character. Hopefully his version of Snape can be taken as is, and not held up to Alan Rickman's singular performance.
Nick Frost | Image: WireImage
Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
Everyone's favourite homeless Santa, Hagrid is easily one of the most beloved characters in the original film series. It's thankful, then, that Nick Frost, one of the most beloved actors of the day, is on board to deliver the goods.
Perhaps best known for his roles alongside fellow funnyman Sean Pegg, Frost brings a comedic physicality to the role of Hogwarts' groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid, as well as the soft, dramatic side necessary to do the character justice.
Paul Whitehouse | Image: PA
Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
Hogwarts' caretaker, Argus Filch is largely characterised by his anger and frustration toward the student body, as well as his willingness to snitch on and punish anyone caught looking the wrong way. David Bradley, who played the character in the original films, brought a level of self-serious drama to the role that made him deliciously easy to hate.
Paul Whitehouse has big shoes to fill, in other words. However, with more of a background in comedy than drama, Whitehouse may be able to take the character in a different direction—one more immediately likeable, but more frustrating when he eventually catches the kids loitering and turns on them.
Luke Thallon | Image: Royal Shakespeare Company
Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
Another stage actor, Luke Thallon looks prepped to bring a his booming energy to Lord Voldemort's devout follower Quirinus Quirrell. The character is largely remembered for his role as a temporary body for the Peter-Dutton-look-alike, but is also capable of swinging between being the meek, quiet Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and a raving lunatic emboldened by the power granted to him by his master. Perfect for a theatre actor.
While Quirrell only appears in the first book of the series, his efforts bring about the entirety of Voldemort's plans.