It’s official—HBO’s Harry Potter series almost has a full cast ensemble.
This week, HBO and Warner Bros. added nine more names to the cast list, bringing the total confirmed actors to 18. It’s a wide-ranging group that includes known actors, up-and-comers, and a few faces longtime UK audiences will probably already recognize.
For a reboot that promises a “faithful” adaptation of the books, this latest batch gives us a better sense of the tone HBO’s aiming for.
Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd) will step in as Molly Weasley, while Johnny Flynn takes on Lucius Malfoy and Bertie Carvel steps in as the new Cornelius Fudge. Other roles include Petunia and Vernon Dursley, Seamus Finnigan, Parvati Patil, and Lavender Brown—suggesting the first season will reach well beyond Privet Drive and the Hogwarts Express. Although, with that said, it’s possible some of these actors won’t even appear in Season 1.
Click here to view the full list of newcomers.
Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Series Names Its New Harry, Ron, and Hermione Actors : Disney Fanatic
These nine actors join the previously announced cast members: John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. Rubeus Hagrid will be played by Nick Frost, and Paul Whitehouse is set for Argus Filch, while the trio at the center are Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger), and Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley).
The series will span seven seasons over 10 years, with one book adapted per season. Francesca Gardiner is showrunner and Mark Mylod will direct multiple episodes. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is onboard as an executive producer.
The show is expected to begin filming this summer.
There’s still plenty to learn, though, including who will play the likes of Lord Voldemort, and the rest of the Defense Against the Dark Arts roster, for a start. But now that we’ve got Molly, Lucius, and the Dursleys, the shape of Year One is starting to take form.
What do you think of this new wave of casting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
