Harry Potter reboot: HBO confirms casting of Hogwarts professors

HBO Max, the streaming service responsible for the Harry Potter reboot, has announced the casting of six major characters. The reboot promises a more book-accurate script, with the episodic TV series format allowing more space to explore sub-plots and minor characters. The show has been the subject of much online discourse lately and has been divisive amongst both long-time fans and newcomers to the Wizarding World.

The six professors cast so far are: John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore; Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall; Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape; Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid; Luke Thallon as Professor Quirrell; and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. This announcement has brought a new wave of discussion as to whether these actors will do the characters justice.

Previously played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, John Lithgow has big shoes to fill in his presentation of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Having only seen him as Fat Amy’s scheming father in Pitch Perfect 3, I have little to go on about his ability to take on this role. Despite not personally having seen him in much, his career has certainly been extensive, and he brings a wealth of experience to a coveted, recurring role in the series. I certainly think that he has the right look for the professor, and much of the online conversation surrounding this casting choice has been positive.

Professor McGonagall was, of course, played by Dame Maggie Smith, who perfectly encapsulated this beloved character. It is almost impossible to imagine anybody else taking on this role. Janet McTeer was not a name I was familiar with, although I did recognise her from The Woman in Black (2012) with Daniel Radcliffe. Most recently, she has been in the Netflix series Ozark and KAOS, and the final instalment in the Mission Impossible movie franchise. McTeer again boasts a career spanning from the 1980s to the present day, so brings plenty of experience to this cast. However, I struggle to picture a face other than Dame Maggie’s when I think of Professor McGonagall, so, for me at least, McTeer is going to have a difficult job doing this character justice.

The most talked about and longest-rumoured casting decision is Paapa Essiedu

Perhaps the most talked about and longest-rumoured casting decision is Paapa Essiedu, taking on Alan Rickman’s role as Professor Severus Snape. Rickman’s presentation of this character is, once again, going to be difficult to match. There is no doubt that Essiedu is a highly talented actor, and I think this casting decision has great potential in terms of providing us with a convincing representation of Snape’s character. Online discourse has overwhelmingly focused on the team’s decision to cast a conventionally attractive black actor to play a character described in the books as pale, unattractive, and greasy. Fans have pointed out many moments in the books which may now be misconstrued as having racist undertones, such as Harry and Ron immediately labelling Snape as suspicious; his involvement with the Death Eaters, a group modelled on the Ku Klux Klan; and a young James Potter and Sirius Black bullying a teenage Snape back in their own school days at Hogwarts.

Whilst these points are valid, and most of the discourse that I have engaged with has not been upset at Essiedu’s casting but specifically the implications of his casting as Snape, it is a shame that this focus on his race is taking away from discussions about his actual acting ability. It should not overshadow his ability to fill this role and, judging from his expansive acting credentials, he should do an excellent job. I am, however, curious as to whether Essiedu being in this role will lead to any major changes to the plot or character interactions to avoid these potential issues.

Actor and comedian Nick Frost confirmed his casting as Rubeus Hagrid in the following Instagram post caption: “Thank you for trusting me with such a loyal, gentle, and courageous half-giant like Rubeus Hagrid. Robbie, I promise I won’t let you down.” Frost is best known for movies such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and I am impressed by this casting. Robbie Coltrane’s portrayal of Hagrid is unforgettable, but I think Frost could be equally as convincing in this role. He certainly has both the look and the personality to handle Coltrane’s legacy with care and to bring this character to life accurately once more.

HBO appears to be starting strong with their casting

When I read that predominantly theatre actor Luke Thallon would be taking on the role of the double-crossing Professor Quirrell, I had an immediate feeling that I’d seen his name before but could not place where. I quickly realised that I had just seen Thallon weeks ago in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s most recent production of Hamlet at the theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was utterly convincing in his role as the title character. Despite not having many on-screen acting credentials, Thallon seems to be a promising addition to the cast, and his multi-faceted portrayal of Hamlet and his madness suggests he will masterfully execute Quirrell’s timid and stammering alter-ego, balanced with his antagonism.

When I saw a picture of Paul Whitehouse next to one of David Bradley (the original Argus Filch) in HBO’s announcement, I was immediately convinced by this casting. Unlike Lithgow and Essiedu, this followed no circulating rumours and seems to be a surprising but perfect call from HBO. He is probably best known for Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing and has actually already had a minor role in the Harry Potter franchise, playing the moving portrait of knight Sir Cadogan in The Prisoner of Azkaban. Grouchy caretaker Mr. Filch often provides comedic relief to tense moments, so Whitehouse’s comedy background makes him perfectly suited to this role.

Overall, despite controversy regarding the appropriateness of rebooting this franchise so soon after the original movie adaptations, and in the face of J.K. Rowling’s relentless tirade of transphobic hate online, HBO appears to be starting strong with their casting. Although I struggle to imagine Harry Potter as anything other than the original Warner Bros. franchise and with any other cast, I can see strong potential in this line-up.