Speculation continues to grow regarding casting for HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, with rumors suggesting that actor Cillian Murphy is being considered for the role of Voldemort. report from Diversity Mark Rylance is also mentioned to have been approached for Dumbledore, while Papa Essiedu is said to have been offered the role of Severus Snape.

Neither HBO nor Warner Bros. have officially confirmed any casting decisions. However, the series is expected to feature unknown actors as its young protagonists, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. In September, an open casting call was announced for residents of the UK and Ireland aged nine to 11 to audition for lead roles.

Director Mark Mylod reported that 32,000 applications were received for the child roles. The casting team is currently reviewing 500 to 1,000 audition tapes per day and plans to begin workshops with shortlisted candidates in January 2025.

The series is scheduled to debut on Max, HBO, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming service in 2026. Francesca Gardiner, known for her work on Succession and His Dark Materials, will serve as showrunner.

The reboot comes nearly three decades after the release of JK Rowling’s first book in 1997 and 15 years after the last film adaptation was released.