I’m Glad This New 'Harry Potter' Isn’t Just a Copy — But I Can’t Stop Thinking About a Different Perfect Cast
It’s different, exciting, and still open to debate.
Earlier this year, HBO officially announced its upcoming Harry Potter series — a 'faithful adaptation' of the books. Filming began in July, and ever since, the fandom has been buzzing with opinions, theories, and a fair bit of confusion.
Dominic McLaughlin takes on the role of Harry, and honestly, I kind of love that he doesn’t look like a constantly-starving, sad little orphan. This version already feels more like the Harry from the books.
Arabella Stanton is playing Hermione — not blonde, not ginger, and definitely with a different background. But the biggest reaction came when Paapa Essiedu was cast as Severus Snape. Not because his skin colour — but because, for many, Snape is still Alan Rickman.
Personally? I’m curious about the new Ron. I’m cautiously optimistic about Hermione and Voldemort. Ollivander, Hagrid, and the rest look solid. But Snape… I just don’t get why they didn’t go with Adam Driver — he seemed perfect for it.
He’s brooding, intense, brilliant — and could’ve brought something unforgettable to the role. It's hard to shake that image once it’s in my head.
Still, everything depends on the writing and performances. HBO insists this isn’t a remake of the films, but a full adaptation of the books — with scenes we’ve never seen on screen. That’s trully exciting. But whether this new magic actually works? We'll just have to wait and see.
