HBO has found its new wizarding trio after looking at more than 30,000 young actors. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will take on Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will portray Ron Weasley in the upcoming TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s books.
“The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold,” said showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod. “We cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen.”
These newcomers aren’t complete strangers to acting. McLaughlin has worked on Sky’s comedy “Grow” and will appear in BBC’s “Gifted.” Stanton recently played Matilda in London’s West End musical. For Stout, Harry Potter will be his first major role.
Rowling, who is working as an executive producer on the show, has given her stamp of approval: “All three are wonderful. I couldn’t be happier.”
The young actors will join John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Filch.
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The series plans to adapt all seven books, with each season covering one novel. This longer format will allow HBO to include many details that were cut from the original movies.
Filming starts in summer 2025 at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the UK. While HBO initially aimed to launch the show in 2026, it might be delayed until 2027.
Fan reactions have been mixed. Many are excited about the fresh take, with some noting that Stanton’s appearance matches the book description of Hermione better than Emma Watson did in the films. However, some fans have criticized certain casting choices, and others simply prefer the original movie series with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.
The Harry Potter franchise is estimated to be worth about $25 billion globally. This new series represents a major investment for HBO as it competes with other streaming services, potentially providing content for the next decade.
