HBO Revamp Hogwarts: A fan casting by a Potterhead | This Is Local London

The Harry Potter franchise has captured the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide. J.K. Rowling's original books have been turned into a cultural phenomenon, with 8 films, 2 stage plays, and theme parks worldwide.

The franchise is worth 25 billion dollars, so it was always obvious that it would be added to. HBO announced last April that they were doing a Harry Potter TV series; fans went into overdrive, imagining the hundreds of possibilities this show could hold. From the Marauders to the cursed child, there are so many corners of the wizarding world that are yet to be explored.

So, when it was announced that they were just remaking the original films, many felt deflated.

I, however, think that the show could still be a success if the team at HBO doesn’t lose sight of the joy of Harry Potter and just get wrapped up in making as much money as possible.

After the announcement in April 2023, fans have had to wait a whole year for more details on the project, but just last month it was announced that Mark Mylod, director of The Menu, is set to direct several episodes, and Francesca Gardiner will be the screenwriter.

This inevitably made people start speculating about the casting of the wizarding world characters.

With an open casting call for Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming out last week, it seems that all the child actors will be from local schools.

However, we have still had no guidance on the casting of any of the adult characters.

So, I'm going to give my fan casting for the series.

Hagrid was the first character to be cast in the original films. Robbie Coltrane’s performance was heart-warming and beautiful, so it seems that it is an insurmountable task to replace him.

However, if I were in charge of the casting team, I would have to go with Ray Winstone, famous for his tough but kind roles in many projects such as The Gentleman.

For the strict yet kind Professor McGonagall, no one could replace the national treasure that was Maggie Smith.

However, one person could bring just as much charm to the role as Maggie Smith, and that is Dame Helen Mirren, who could easily bring her own spin to Maggie Smith’s iconic role.

As for Severus Snape, Alan Rickman’s portrayal is genuinely one of the best pieces of acting in the original films, so there is only one man who could capture such complex emotions as Alan, and that is Benedict Cumberbatch.

With roles such as Sherlock Holmes and Alan Turing, he could bring the sly potions professor back to life.

He who must not be named is a spooky character that terrifies children. There is one man who could match Ralph Fiennes’s portrayal, and that is Cillian Murphy.

The Irish-born actor has become legendary for his characters of Tommy Shelby and Oppenheimer.

That is all my fan castings for the upcoming Harry Potter TV series that should bring a new light to the much-loved Boy Who Lived.