The Harry Potter TV Show Reportedly Casts Key Hogwarts Professors

Nearly 25 years after viewers were first introduced to Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s magical on-screen world, a new cast will soon be stepping into their cloaks.

Since HBO’s Harry Potter series was officially announced in 2023, fans have wondered who would play the Hogwarts students and professors. Now, there are finally some answers.

Here’s everything that has been reported so far about the Harry Potter TV show cast, its release timeline, and more.

The New Harry Potter Cast Is Taking Shape

While the main Harry Potter trio has not yet been announced, there have been several reports about Hogwarts professors.

Most notably, John Lithgow recently told ScreenRant that he’d been offered — and accepted — the role of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

“It was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid. But I’m very excited,” Lithgow said. “Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That’s why it’s been such a hard decision. I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.”

HBO did not officially announce Lithgow as Dumbledore, but Deadline reports that the Shrek star will be playing the powerful wizard. The outlet also says that Janet McTeer is in negotiations to play Professor McGonagall, while Paapa Essiedu is “closing his deal” to play Professor Snape.

Last year, Essiedu told Bustle he wants to “be brave” when choosing future projects. Playwright Lucy Prebble — who wrote The Effect, which Essiedu starred in — said she has a “hankering to see him do villainy,” which the enigmatic Snape can be capable of.

Of course, you likely won’t be meeting several beloved characters for some time. “There are interesting people raising their hands to be the featured adult actors that come on in later seasons, like the Sirius Blacks of the world,” Sarah Aubrey, who helms IP for HBO, recently told The Hollywood Reporter.

While nostalgic fans may be hoping to see familiar faces, Aubrey said that the show doesn’t plan to “repeat” original actors from the films.

“It’s always a little nerve-wracking because people so associate those roles with certain actors, but I also think because it’s going to be eight hours of TV [per season], we’re going to immerse them in a different actor’s performance,” she explained.

When Does The Harry Potter Series Premiere?

There’s a reason for the recent casting buzz. According to Deadline, the new Harry Potter series will begin filming this summer.

The outlet added that HBO executive Casey Bloys shared on an earning call that the series should premiere in late 2026 or early 2027, and will run for “10 consecutive years.”