Whether you want it or not, we’re getting a new Harry Potter reboot, and this time, it’s a TV series. Bringing together a new cast to play the story’s iconic roles is no simple task, but it seems they may have already secured an excellent Professor Snape.
In April of 2023, HBO/Max got the green light for the Harry Potter show at a Warner Bros. Discovery press event, and the series entered development. Now it appears to be in the casting phase, and while its three main roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine are still a mystery, new reports suggest Snape could be locked down soon.
Paapa Essiedu has been offered the role of Severus Snape in the Max Harry Potter show according to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter.
In the report, it is noted that while several sources confirm that the actor was offered the role, it’s unclear if negotiations have yet begun, so at this stage, it doesn’t look like a done deal. If the parties do come to an agreement, that would make Essiedu the first actor officially cast in the series.
Essiedu is best-known for his role as Kwame in the series I May Destroy You. However, the actor also appeared in the 2022 hit film Men, and an episode of Black Mirror.
For those unfamiliar with the movies or book source material — which we assume is very few of you reading this, Professor Snape is the potions master at Hogwarts. He is a cruel but clever teacher who will very likely be the main antagonist for the majority of the show’s first season.
When asked for comment on the casting, HBO shared a statement with The Hollywood Reporter letting them know that they would only be sharing information on the show’s stars once details are finalized, which shouldn’t really be any surprise.
The reboot show for Harry Potter looks to be a faithful adaption of the book series intended to bring in an entirely new generation of fans. To achieve this, the show will endeavor to bring a diverse cast of characters and judging from this casting news, it seems like the team is on track to fulfill that promise.
Right now, there’s no indication of exactly when the show will be released. However, the most recent update was that it had been pushed back from 2026 to 2027, so don’t expect to see any of these characters back on screen anytime soon.
The good news is that there are already plans for several seasons that will cover the books for years to come. Basically, if you can make it through to 2027, it’s going to be a great time to be a fan of Harry Potter.
In the meantime, if you’re looking to binge through the iconic movie series, then you can check out all eight films on Max now. Oh, there’s also those spinoff Fantastic Beasts movies too, if you’re really looking for a magic fix.
Published: Dec 4, 2024 07:41 pm