John Lithgow, Nick Frost and Others Join ‘Harry Potter’ Series for HBO

Warner Bros. has officially announced the casting of four series regulars for the upcoming Harry Potter series on HBO. John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer will portray Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu is set to take on the role of Severus Snape, and Nick Frost will bring Rubeus Hagrid to life on screen.

Described as a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved book series, the show will be executive produced by Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman. The series will explore every aspect of the wizarding world, bringing the magical adventures of Harry Potter to both new and existing audiences.

Joining the main cast are Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. Notably, Whitehouse is the only actor so far who appeared in the original Harry Potter films, playing Sir Cadogan in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod, the executive producers of the show, expressed their excitement about the exceptional talent coming on board and their eagerness to see these beloved characters come to life in new ways. Gardiner will also serve as the showrunner, with Mylod directing multiple episodes.

According to Casey Bloys, the Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, the Harry Potter series will offer a deep dive into each of Rowling’s novels and is set to run for 10 consecutive years. The show will be available to watch on HBO Max, although an official release date has not been announced yet.