HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Show Gets A Release Date Update, First Harry Photo

Whether anyone actually wants it or not, HBO is beginning to shoot its upcoming Harry Potter reboot, which will not be a series of movies but rather a long-running TV show that at minimum, should run for well over a decade given all the material that needs to be covered, and the lengthy breaks between seasons of streaming shows. HBO has now confirmed that season 1 will release in 2027. Presumably season 1 is book one, and HBO has not discussed how exactly future seasons will be structured, nor if the entire series is “guaranteed” at this point to make it through the full series.

The show has been announcing loads of cast members, including most recently its central trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Now, HBO has shared the first official production photo which has new Harry, Dominic McLaughlin, age 11, suited up as the Hogwarts-attending Potter for the first time. It’s interesting to me that if this really is the first scene, they’re shooting something that isn’t in the pre-Hogwarts intro with the Dursleys.

The other two cast members are Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton as Ron and Hermione, and HBO released a cast photo of them back on May 27. But this is the first shot of any of the actors in costume at all. Here’s the overall cast list, adults and kids, that we know for the show so far based on the last few months of announcements, including two new ones today at the bottom:

• 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
• Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
• Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
• Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell
• Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
• Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley
• Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy
• Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy
• Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley
• Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley
• Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge
• Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan
• Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil
• Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown
• Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom
• Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley

The show has garnered much controversy for A) existing at all, given how beloved the movies are, B) JK Rowling’s involvement who has spoken out repeatedly against transgender rights and C) some of the casting choices. Most seem dead on, but the most controversial is easily Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. First, he’s young and handsome, not exactly what the role calls for. Second, he’s black, which does in fact create some awkward moments if the books are followed, like James Potter tormenting a young Snape in the ‘70s, including hanging him upside down at one point. It’s unclear how that will be handled.

I know we’ll be seeing a lot more from production soon, but here’s the start.

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