Latest news with #ThePhilosopher'sStone
Man of Many
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Man of Many
HBO's 2026 Harry Potter Reboot Cast Revealed
By Dean Blake - News Published: 28 May 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 6 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. 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.
Gulf News
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf News
Harry Potter and the goblet of burnout: Reboots, endless spinoffs and a franchise that just won't quit
It was 2001, and we were waiting impatiently for the fifth Harry Potter book, which would only release in 2003. Millennials wouldn't ever forgive that wait. And so as we waited, formulating bizarre theories about the elusive fifth book and embroidered our own tales, the first Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone film released. Little was known about the main actors—Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson at the time; the older generation was just impressed that the film featured stars like Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman. The messy but lovable films The first film retained the fresh innocence and charm of the novel, which still centered around eleven-year-olds stumbling through the complexities of magic, a magical castle, unraveling past secrets, and a professor who seemed intent on their destruction. However, for those who closely followed the book's details, it was frustrating to see so many plot points omitted. This sense of disappointment only grew as the films continued, with each subsequent release leaving more of the book's essence behind. The second followed, maintaining more or less the same storyline, while the third decided to absolve itself of the most fun parts of the novel, which included the fraying friendships between the trio, Ron, Hermione and Harry, over a cat trying to eat a rat that really wasn't a rat, but in fact, a dangerous traitor disguised as a rat. By the fourth film, you would have to forget most of the plot points too of the novel, if you wanted to watch the film: Hermione, walking down like a princess in a pink gown, unlike the colours of periwinkle blue described in the book, sure, why not. Crucial characters being omitted from the storyline at whim, such as Winky, the house elf, a key element in the unfolding of the events in the fourth book, sigh, alright, then. The fifth tried its best to keep to the plot points, while the sixth Half Blood Prince decided to rewrite the book entirely: Feisty Ginny Weasley becomes subservient in Bonnie Wright's docile view—she is even tying Harry's shoelaces. The Weasley's house was suddenly set on fire. The second part of the seventh film perhaps, was another disappointment—the final straw being Harry and Tom Riddle punching each other, and abandoning their wands. Nevertheless, we ploughed on, holding back the disappointment, because that was the magnetic power of Harry Potter, at that time. The last book came out in 2007—and the final film released in 2011—with many sharing edits, videos, posts, letters on how an entire era had ended. But the truth is in all the criticism—the films are symbolic of that era, imperfect and chaotic as they were. They brought to life how we chose to visualise the characters, castles, the owls, the shops in Diagon Alley. We saw Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Robbie Coltrane as the blustering Hagrid, and Hermione as Emma Watson. It all felt like a fitting end to something that we had watched, read, absorbed for over a decade. The books had been written, the films—however messy—had been made. It was childhood, adolescence and adulthood—we had watched the trio of Daniel, Rupert and Emma grow up in front of us, while waiting for each book, some of us huddled outside bookstores at 5 am in the morning after booking our copies a month in advance. A memory that wasn't allowed to stay a memory Some memories should be like books themselves: You read it, treasure it, remember the feeling and put it back on the bookshelf, only to revisit it later. A feeling of peace. But with Harry Potter, there's never been a feeling of peace. We never really had time to just sit back and relax about it—because there has been a desperate surge to hold on to the magic. But the magic, itself fizzled out long ago—it had an expiry date. The stage play Cursed Child released in 2016, which felt like bad fan fiction altogether. Then, came the relentless splurge of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, each one more tedious, prolonged and controversial than the other, despite the comforting presence of Eddie Redmayne. A fatigue, is what it is. Every day, new theories emerged about the books, revelations that you didn't need. We never got far enough from Harry Potter to truly miss it—the wonder of childhood had quietly morphed into exhaustion. And now, the new web series. The cast is being announced—creating much controversy and havoc along the way. All said and done, it might be good too, let's be fair. But, this is from an era that's long gone—without the charm of the original books—the wait, the cliffhangers that broke us, and it's bereft joy of watching child stars grow into their roles, playing each other's love interest, none of it.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Harry Potter star savages JK Rowling as a 'bigot' and compares her to Andrew Tate over her trans views - despite STILL cashing in on the fame she brought him
Harry Potter star Sean Biggerstaff has savaged JK Rowling on social media, calling her an 'obsessed billionaire' and 'bigoted' for her views on transgender rights. The Harry Potter author, 59, has repeatedly made headlines for her vocal 'TERF' views and has celebrated the Supreme Court 's landmark judgment that trans women are not legally women. Justices in London ruled last week that in the 2010 Equality Act, the definition of the term 'women' relates only to biological women, and Rowling reportedly helped fund the campaign group which brought the case. Amid widespread protests following the ruling, Harry Potter actor Biggerstaff - who portrayed Oliver Wood in three of the movies - has passionately condemned Rowling. Biggerstaff showed his solidarity with the wizarding franchise's leading stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who have all spoken out against Rowling. He starred alongside the trio in first two Harry Potter movies - The Philosopher's Stone and the Chamber of Secrets - and returned for a brief, uncredited cameo in the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Though distancing himself from Rowling herself and forthrightly speaking out against her, Biggerstaff remains involved with the wider Harry Potter universe and often attends fan conventions, doing so as recently as February of this year. In his diatribe against Rowling, Biggerstaff responded to her controversial post about the Supreme Court ruling, in which she raised her glass and smoked a cigar on her $150million superyacht in celebration. After the billionaire author was hit by accusations she was 'smoking a blunt', she hit back on social media, clarifying that it was 'objectively, provably and demonstratively a cigar'. Responding to her post, Biggerstaff claimed she had no sense of humour about the comments, writing: 'Bigotry rots the wit.' He also showed his support for one person who compared her to Andrew Tate for puffing on a cigar, much like he does in his own videos, which many argue stir violence against women. The tweet read: 'lol, huffing on a cigar now? Is she Andrew Tate?' with Biggerstaff simply re-posting the words to his own profile. Rowling also shared a picture of Susan Smith and Marion Calder, co-directors of For Women Scotland, celebrating the ruling and told people not to 'f**k with Scottish women'. However, Scotsman Biggerstaff clapped back with: 'The majority of Scottish women, who don't agree with these d**kheads, aren't being bankrolled by an obsessed billionaire,' referencing reports that Rowling helped fund the case. He also showed solidarity with the leading Harry Potter trio as he slammed one user who referred to Radcliffe, Watson and Grint as 'disloyal bags of s**t' for speaking out against Rowling, asking how they are doing today. In his diatribe against Rowling, Biggerstaff responded to her controversial post about the Supreme Court ruling, in which she raised her glass and smoked a cigar on her superyacht He slammed Rowling for sharing a picture of Susan Smith and Marion Calder, co-directors of For Women Scotland, celebrating the ruling and told people not to 'f**k with Scottish women' Biggerstaff additionally rubbished accusations that billionaire Rowling - who is currently having her Harry Potter books adapted into a new TV series - was 'cast out' for her views In response, an unimpressed Biggerstaff said: 'You don't have to wonder. You know what they're doing - leading happy and successful lives, having not driven their families away with their hateful obsessions.' Biggerstaff additionally rubbished accusations that billionaire Rowling - who is currently having her Harry Potter books adapted into a new TV series - was 'cast out' and 'smeared' for her views. Responding to one post, Biggerstaff quipped: 'Christ, if that's what being cast out looks like I'll take some,' referring to her net worth of approximately £1billion. Biggerstaff shared further general posts defending the transgender community as he shared his opposition to the Supreme Court ruling, arguing that the 'loudest voices' were 'using concern for sex-based rights as cover for entirely reactionary politics'. 'Today is just a torrent of people being willfully simple-minded. A performance of pragmatism to cloak their instinctive distaste for the Other,' he added in another post. Though he has been vocal in his distaste towards Rowling's views on transgender rights, Biggerstaff has continued to cash in on his Harry Potter fame over the years. He frequently attends conventions and meet and greets with fans, appearing at a signing at the Gibert-Joseph bookstore in France as recently as February 2025. Biggerstaff also attended another meet and greet in Italy in December 2024 and appeared at the New England WizardFest & Magic Convention in Boxborough in August 2023. The Supreme Court case saw judges rule that trans women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'. It marked the culmination of a long-running legal battle between the Scottish government and women's group For Women Scotland over the definition of a 'woman' in Scottish law. The case centred on whether somebody with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) recognising their gender as female should be protected from discrimination as a woman under the Equality Act. The Scottish government had argued that such people were entitled to sex-based protections, meaning a transgender person with a GRC certificate identifying them as female would count towards women's quota. But campaign group For Women Scotland claimed they only applied to people born female. The Supreme Court ruled that the words 'sex', 'man' and 'woman' in the Equality Act must mean 'biological sex', rejecting any alternative interpretations as 'incoherent and impracticable '. Rowling reacted last Wednesday by posting on X: 'It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they've protected the rights of women and girls across the UK. @ForWomenScot, I'm so proud to know you.' She later added: 'Trans people have lost zero rights today, although I don't doubt some (not all) will be furious that the Supreme Court upheld women's sex-based rights.' Amid Rowling's celebrations, leading Harry Potter stars Radcliffe, Watson and Grint have so far remained silent after speaking out against her in the past. They have previously spoken publicly in support of gender ideology - that biologically male trans women should be regarded as women - which Rowling disagrees with. The author herself appeared to aim a jibe at them last month, when sharing on her X account a response to another user who asked: 'What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?' Rowling wrote: 'Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.' She previously indicated in April last year she would not forgive Radcliffe nor Watson as she criticised celebrities she said had 'cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights'. She hit out at stars accused of using their 'platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors' after the release of the long-awaited Cass report into gender treatment in the UK. That government-commissioned study deemed there to be 'remarkably weak evidence' for gender-affirming techniques in children such as puberty blockers. When one fan said they were 'just waiting for Dan and Emma [Watson]' to offer a 'very public apology' knowing they'd be safe in the knowledge the author would forgive them, Rowling wrote: 'Not safe I'm afraid. 'Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.' What does the Supreme Court gender ruling mean? What did the Supreme Court rule? The Supreme Court ruled the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex. What does it mean for single sex spaces? The court's decision will have huge consequences for how single-sex spaces and services operate across the UK, experts said today. The written Supreme Court judgment gives examples including rape or domestic violence counselling, refuges, rape crisis centres, female-only hospital wards and changing rooms. The court ruled that trans women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) can be excluded from single-sex spaces if 'proportionate'. The government said the ruling 'brings clarity and confidence, for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges, and sports clubs'. What does it mean for employers? Employment experts say it will provide companies with greater 'clarity' over single sex spaces for their staff. Lara Brown, senior Research Fellow in the Culture and Identity Unit at Policy Exchange, said a trans woman with a GRC who is excluded from single-sex spaces cannot say she is being discriminated against as a woman. She explained: 'This ruling makes it legal for any space that wants to be single sex to exclude biological men.' Could employers still be at risk of discrimination? The Supreme Court made it clear that trans people are protected under the gender reassignment provisions in the Equality Act and will be able to bring claims if they are discriminated or harassed. Experts say a trans woman will be able to bring a sex discrimination claim if they are disadvantaged because they are perceived to be a woman or because they associate with a woman. Rob McKellar, legal services director at Peninsula, said failure to be an inclusive workplace, regardless of any protected characteristics, could result in a discrimination claim. What does the ruling mean for competitive sports? In recent years, many sports have cracked down on rules around transgender athletes at the elite level. Athletics, cycling and aquatics are among those who have banned trans women from taking part in women's events. The UK government said it hopes the decision will provide clarity for sports clubs. Although today's ruling did not concern sport directly, former Olympian Sharron Davies welcomed the decision, saying it was important to 'define what a woman is'. Could a pregnant woman with a GRC be entitled to maternity leave? Experts said today that the ruling that only women can become pregnant shows a trans man (biological woman) would be able to take maternity leave, while a trans woman (biological man) would not. Jo Moseley, an employment law specialist at national law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: 'The Supreme Court acknowledged that only women can become pregnant. Therefore a trans man (a biological woman who identifies as a man) can take maternity leave. 'Had the court reached a different decision, it's possible that trans men with a GRC wouldn't have been entitled to protection in relation to pregnancy under the characteristics of 'pregnancy or maternity'.'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Lithgow confirms Dumbledore casting, says role will ‘define the last chapter of my life'
John Lithgow has confirmed he will take on the role of Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming HBO adaptation of the Harry Potter novels. The Hogwarts headmaster was previously portrayed by Richard Harris in the first film adaptations, The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. His death in 2002 saw Michael Gambon take over the role for the remaining films. Jude Law played a younger version of Dumbledore in two films in the prequel franchise Fantastic Beasts, The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore. Speaking to Screen Rant, 79-year-old Lithgow said the casting news 'came as a total surprise to me.' He continued: 'I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid. 'But I'm very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That's why it's been such a hard decision. I'll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I've said yes.' The TV adaption, confirmed by HBO Max in 2023, aims to be a 'faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer JK Rowling.' The series is expected to run for a decade, each season based on one of the seven books. While casting calls for the three young leads — Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger — opened in September 2024, HBO has been scouting for older actors over the past few months to play adult characters such as Dumbledore and the primary villain Voldemort. In November 2024, reports said producers were angling for Oscar-winning star of stage and screen Mark Rylance for the role of Dumbledore. A couple of months earlier, Gary Oldman, who played Harry Potter's godfather Sirius Black in the original film franchise, said he would be up to playing Dumbledore. In December, reports suggested I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu was the top choice to play Potions professor Severus Snape, played last by Alan Rickman in the film franchise. The same month, rumors suggested Ted Lasso actor Brett Goldstein was being tapped to star as gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid, who was originally played by Robbie Coltrane. Nearly 32,000 children have sent audition tapes for the lead roles of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, but no casting announcements have been made yet.
The Independent
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
John Lithgow confirms Dumbledore casting, says role will ‘define the last chapter of my life'
John Lithgow has confirmed he will take on the role of Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming HBO adaptation of the Harry Potter novels. The Hogwarts headmaster was previously portrayed by Richard Harris in the first film adaptations, The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. His death in 2002 saw Michael Gambon take over the role for the remaining films. Jude Law played a younger version of Dumbledore in two films in the prequel franchise Fantastic Beasts, The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore. Speaking to Screen Rant, 79-year-old Lithgow said the casting news 'came as a total surprise to me.' He continued: 'I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid. 'But I'm very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That's why it's been such a hard decision. I'll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I've said yes.' The TV adaption, confirmed by HBO Max in 2023, aims to be a 'faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer JK Rowling.' The series is expected to run for a decade, each season based on one of the seven books. While casting calls for the three young leads — Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger — opened in September 2024, HBO has been scouting for older actors over the past few months to play adult characters such as Dumbledore and the primary villain Voldemort. In November 2024, reports said producers were angling for Oscar-winning star of stage and screen Mark Rylance for the role of Dumbledore. A couple of months earlier, Gary Oldman, who played Harry Potter's godfather Sirius Black in the original film franchise, said he would be up to playing Dumbledore. In December, reports suggested I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu was the top choice to play Potions professor Severus Snape, played last by Alan Rickman in the film franchise. The same month, rumors suggested Ted Lasso actor Brett Goldstein was being tapped to star as gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid, who was originally played by Robbie Coltrane. Nearly 32,000 children have sent audition tapes for the lead roles of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, but no casting announcements have been made yet.
