Harry Potter HBO series' first major casting update is a solid hit with fans

The upcoming Harry Potter TV series has left me with a bunch of questions.

It goes without saying that the Wizarding World was started by JK Rowling’s book series, but its aesthetic was most definitely defined by the Warner Bros. series of films.

It’s with that in mind that I can’t see HBO’s upcoming TV series being able to redefine that aesthetic so soon after the film series wrapped up.

Well, 13 years is a relatively short period of time when it comes to a reboot - especially when you’re talking about the biggest film franchise of all-time.

Imagine it. A new Great Hall, revised house crests, a new iteration of Honeydukes, the Ministry of Magic … it’s all going to be rather strange to behold.

Likewise, many of us will likely find it strange seeing new actors embody these iconic roles.

Casting is yet to be officially announced although one such role is in talks to be filled very soon.

Take a look at the original teaser trailer for the series.

According to a report by Variety, Mark Rylance is in discussions to star as Dumbledore.

Both Warner Bros and Mark Rylance’s representatives did not confirm the report.

It’s unlike Variety to get these things wrong though - and Harry Potter fans are certainly hoping the casting is true.

Fair to say, Rylance’s potential casting has already gone down a treat.

“Rylance is, most importantly, a very solid actor. That's a fine choice. Makeup and hair etc can age the man, but it’s most important that the dude can act,” wrote Reddit user RiflemanLax.

“Oh I actually like this. I think he could pull off the twinkle and whimsy mixed with power,” added Clear-Garage-4828.

“He's definitely got that twinkle in his eye, and he's insanely talented. Even just based off of his interviews, I can totally see it,” agreed TryingToDoGreatStuff.

Of course, we’ll be keeping an eye on any official confirmation of this casting.

There’s no set release date for the series yet as it’s still pretty early in its development. 2026 has been touted as a potential window though.