Casting has been confirmed for six of the major adult roles in the highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series.

After months of speculation, HBO finally broke its silence this week to reveal the six actors who will reinvent the iconic characters from J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World.

John Lithgow, best known for his acclaimed roles in The Crown, Dexter, and Conclave, will play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. The actor recently won an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in the play Giant.

Ozark actress Janet McTeer will play Professor Minerva McGonagall, and I May Destroy You actor Paapa Essiedu will take on the role of Professor Severus Snape.

Shaun of the Dead star Nick Frost will play the school's gamekeeper Hagrid, while The Fast Show actor and writer Paul Whitehouse will play caretaker Argus Filch.

Luke Thallon, theatre actor who performed alongside Andrew Scott in Present Laughter, will play Professor Quirrell.

As of yet, there has been no official news as to who will play the books' “golden trio” – Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter. In September 2024, HBO issued an open casting call for the roles, which, according to Variety, received more than 30,000 applications.

Plans for the series were first announced in April 2023 by Warner Bros Discovery, revealing that each season will focus on a different book from the series.

Filming will start this summer, and the show will debut on the small screen in late 2026 or early 2027. The first season will consist of eight hour-long episodes.

Succession producer Francesca Gardiner will serve as the series writer, with fellow alumnus Mark Mylod joining to direct some episodes. The series is executive produced by J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.