Veteran actor John, 78, will play Albus Dumbledore in the small-screen version of the wizard franchise, alongside a host of household names from the worlds of comedy, movies and TV.
Showrunner Francesca Gardiner said in a statement: “We are happy to announce the casting of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell and Filch.”
The series, set to stream globally on Max, including in the UK, Germany, Italy and Turkey, will closely follow the original J.K. Rowling ‘Harry Potter’ novels, dedicating each season to a single book in the seven-part saga.
An HBO Original production, it was developed in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros Television.
It will offer what J.K. described as “a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long-form television series”.
The author, 58, serves as executive producer alongside Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts and David Heyman.
John Lithgow is a six-time Emmy winner, two-time Tony Award recipient and a BAFTA and Oscar nominee.
He is known for his roles in ‘The Crown’ and ‘Third Rock from the Sun’, as well as for voicing Lord Farquaad in 2001’s ‘Shrek’.
John also provided narration for the IMAX feature Special Effects and the educational documentary ‘Life’s Greatest Miracle’, and voiced Yoda in the ‘Star Wars’ NPR radio adaptations.
Janet McTeer, 62, has been cast as Minerva McGonagall.
A Tony Award, Golden Globe and Olivier winner, she is recognised for her Oscar-nominated performances in ‘Tumbleweeds’ (1999) and ‘Albert Nobbs’ (2011), and for her work in shows including ‘Ozark’ and ‘The White Queen’.
Paapa Essiedu, 34, will play Severus Snape.
He rose to prominence in ‘I May Destroy You’ (2020), and earned critical acclaim for Hamlet at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Nick Frost, 52, takes on the role of Rubeus Hagrid.
The actor and comedian is best known for his work in ‘Shaun of the Dead’, ‘Hot Fuzz’ and ‘The World’s End’, as well as TV comedy series ‘Spaced’.
View this post on Instagram
The recurring cast includes Luke Thallon, 29, as Quirinus Quirrell, known for ‘Present Laughter’ (2019) and ‘A Room with a View’ (2023), as well as Paul Whitehouse, 66, as Argus Filch.
Paul starred in the BBC’s ‘The Fast Show’ and collaborated with Harry Enfield on his hit sketch show.
Director Mark Mylod, 59, will helm several episodes and serve as executive producer.
He said: “We’re delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can’t wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life.”
The premiere date of the series is yet to be announced.
