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Warner Bros. Discovery announced that its upcoming “Harry Potter” series will start shooting this Summer at Content London on Thursday.
During a presentation at the Warner Bros. Discovery’s headquarters in London, showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod revealed that it had auditioned 32,000 kids for lead roles. They will be sticking to correct canonical ages — Snape will be in his 30’s, while james and Lily Potter will be young because they were 21 when they died.
The “Harry Potter” series was officially ordered at Max in April 2023, and it was announced that it would feature an entirely new cast from the popular films. In September, the series opened a casting call for the roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione and said they are “committed to inclusive, diverse casting.” Though it is still unknown who will be playing the intrepid trio, Variety revealed last month that Mark Rylance is at the top of the cashing wishlist to play beloved Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore. “Succession” alums Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod are on board as showrunner and director, respectively.
The run-up to the series has not been without controversy, however, as book author J.K. Rowling has continued to cause backlash with her views on transgender identity. However, HBO has stood by her side, telling Variety in a statement last month: “J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”
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