HBO is working on a new Harry Potter TV show will adapt all seven books by author J.K. Rowling. The original Harry Potter movies are still touchstones. They employed a wide variety of British acting talent and launched the careers of actors like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson. Everyone is wondering who will appear in this new show, and the rumors are flying.
The latest come from industry insider Daniel Richtman, who regularly shares new scoops on his Patreon. According to him, a couple new high-powered actors are circling roles:
- According to Richtman, Fleabag creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been "offered" the role of Petunia Dursley, Harry Potter's horrible aunt who's married to his horrible who make him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs his whole childhood.
- Cillian Murphy, who recently won an Oscar for playing the title character in Oppenheimer, is being "eyed to play" Professor Quirinus Quirrell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher during Harry's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Fans know he's hiding a dark secret.
A lot of fans have named Cillian Murphy as someone they'd like to see play Lord Voldemort, the primary villain of the series. It'd be interesting to see how they'd react to him playing a more minor baddie like Quirrell.
Although we should say that none of this is confirmed. Reports of actors joining the Harry Potter show have been flying around furiously for a while. We've heard that Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein may play Hagrid, that Paapa Essiedu was offered the role of Professor Severus Snape, that Mark Rylance or Mark Strong could play Professor Dumbledore, that Sharon Horgan or Rachel Weisz may play Professor Minerva Minerva McGonagall, and so on.
Meanwhile, HBO will look for unknown young actors to play the roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione, the Golden Trio of the series. Everything is still very unsettled, but with all these rumors in the air, I'm betting we hear something more official soon. As for when we might actually get to watch episodes of the new show, I'd expect it out sometime in 2027.
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