Simon Pegg Confirmed as New Hogwarts Headmaster In ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot

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Albus Dumbledore looking worried in 'Harry Potter'

Credit: Warner Bros.

Mission: Impossible actor Simon Pegg has just been revealed as the new Hogwarts headmaster in the upcoming Harry Potter installment.

British actor Pegg, 52, is best known for his role as Benjamin “Benjy” Dunn in the Mission: Impossible series, in which he stars alongside Tom Cruise. Now, he’s stepping into the shoes of the headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the upcoming Hogwarts Legacy (2023), the open-world game set in the late 1800s that will serve as an unofficial prequel to the Harry Potter books and films, and the Fantastic Beasts spin-off series, while also resetting the Wizarding World timeline, as it isn’t necessarily considered canon.

This news follows rumors of a Harry Potter recasting, which could be on the cards with Warner Bros. reportedly planning to reboot the film series.

Simon Pegg as Scotty on Star Trek
Credit: Paramount Pictures

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However, Pegg won’t actually be playing the iconic character of Albus Dumbledore, who so far has been portrayed by three actors — Richard Harris in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 (2010), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (2011), and Jude Law in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).

Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter
Credit: Warner Bros.

The Shaun of the Dead (2004) actor will be playing Dumbledore’s predecessor, Phineas Nigellus Black, who Pegg reveals is the “great-great-grandfather” of Sirius Black (Gary Oldman).

In a press release this afternoon, Hogwarts Legacy developers Avalanche Software shared a video in which Pegg is revealed to have lent his vocal talents to the game as the new headmaster.

Check out the official announcement video below:

Pegg says that his Hogwarts Legacy character is “in the [Harry Potter] books and in the films” in the form of “a portrait in Dumbledore’s office.” However, he describes Phineas as “the least popular headmaster in the history of Hogwarts,” as he’s “pompous” and “disinterested”.

“He’s just a bit of an idiot, really,” Pegg added. A far cry from Albus Dumbledore, then!

He then went on to explain how happy he is that he’s finally part of the Harry Potter universe, saying. “I’m extremely excited to be part of the Harry Potter universe. I watched all those movies, and always expected a role.” He then jokes,” Virtually every British actor has been in the Wizarding World apart from me!”

Phineas Nigellus Black in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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While there won’t be any main characters from the Harry Potter timeline in the game, characters such as ghosts Nearly Headless Nick and Peeves will appear throughout Hogwarts castle.

Hogwarts Legacy features extensive character customization, stunning open-world environments, the opportunity to become a dark wizard, and many endings depending on the path you choose.

The Room of Requirement in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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While a number of Harry Potter fans have threatened to boycott the game due to its affiliations with Wizarding World creator JK Rowling, perhaps that will change now that an A-list actor like Simon Pegg is suddenly involved!

Hogwarts Legacy isn’t considered canon with the films or books, and, adding to that the fact that recent promotional material seemingly suggests that certain aspects of Wizarding World lore have been rewritten, as such, serves as a reboot of sorts.

As per the official Hogwarts Legacy website, here’s the synopsis for the game:

Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you can take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.

Time-lapse in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Hogwarts Legacy will be released on April 4, 2023.

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC versions will be released as planned on February 10, while the Nintendo Switch version will be released on July 25.

Which other A-list actors do you think will be lending their vocal talents to Hogwarts Legacy? Let us know in the comments down below!

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