HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series Might Not Be a Reboot, as Surprise Casting Reveals Continue

The core trio has also been confirmed: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The wider cast includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.

However, while the series has been billed as a “faithful adaptation” of the books by J. K. Rowling, many Potterheads feel that this couldn’t be further from the truth, largely because a Black actor has been cast as Snape, a character who is described in the books as being White.

Unfortunately, these headlines have overshadowed some of the more interesting details about the upcoming series, including one casting that involves the return of an actor from the films: Warwick Davis, who reprises his role as Hogwarts Professor Filius Flitwick, having first played the character in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001).

So far, Davis is the only actor who’s returning from the films (similarly, this isn’t Arabella Stanton’s first time as Hermione Granger, having voiced her in the new Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions audiobooks). But his involvement immediately stands out in a project that was promised to be a full reset that’s completely separate from the film series.

Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Film Trio Could Return for ‘Deathly Hallows’ Ending in HBO Series

What’s even more intriguing is a recent comment from Ralph Fiennes, who revealed he had once been asked whether he would ever be interested in reprising Lord Voldemort, a role he played in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 (2011). With that said, it’s unclear when those discussions actually took place, and it’s likely the upcoming HBO series wasn’t even in development around that time.

Nevertheless, the combination of returning actors alongside a brand-new cast could shift how the series is perceived. While Davis’ return is nothing more than a fun reprisal, it’s possible the series is more than a straightforward remake, as it raises the question of whether HBO is quietly building something that allows multiple versions of the Wizarding World to coexist, similar to how Marvel and DC have built Multiverses in recent years.