Harry Potterfans hold their collective breath anytimeJ.K. Rowlingtakes to X (formerly Twitter). The author behind one of the best-selling fantasy series of all time has caused wave after wave of controversy over the past few years with her transphobic and bigoted tweets. So, when HBO announced who would be playing Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley in the upcoming reboot series, many were expecting the author to go on the offensive. But, to the relief of the fan base, J.K. Rowling surprisingly had nothing but encouragement for the young actors.
J.K. Rowling responded to a fan’s tweet about the bombshellHarry Potterreboot casting. Earlier this week, HBO announced thatDominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stoutwill play Harry, Hermione, and Ron, respectively, in the upcoming reboot series. Many embraced the casting, while a large portion of the fan base acknowledged that the three children will be unfairly put in the spotlight for the next decade. @Star_Sojourn raised this concern to Rowling online, writing, “Please tell Dominic, Arabella, and Alistair that they are already loved by the fandom and we can’t wait to see the show! We wish them all the best and that they have a magic time.”
“I’m Kind of Out of Touch”: Former ‘Harry Potter’ Star Weighs in on J.K. Rowling Controversy
The ‘Harry Potter’ franchise star was asked about the author’s controversies, but it appears he’s just not aware of them.
Surprisingly, J.K. Rowling responded to the comment. Even more surprisingly, it’s probably the most positive tweet she’s posted in a while. “All three are wonderful,” the author said. “I couldn’t be happier.” McLaughlin, Stanton, and Stout are the most important additions to the show’s cast, but they weren’t the first to be announced. John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer is Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu is Severus Snape, Nick Frost is Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon is Professor Quirrell, and (potentially the best casting of the bunch) Paul Whitehouse is Argus Filch.
When Will HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot Be Released?
HBO’sHarry Potterseries is simultaneously one of the most anticipated and divisive shows in the coming years. The series was announced in 2023, around the same timeLionsgate’s animatedTwilightreboot was announced.Similar to Warner Bros.' acclaimed film series, theHarry Potterreboot will adapt a single book per season. As a result, the series should run for seven seasons, unless they decide to splitThe Deathly Hallowsinto two parts again. Season 1 hasn’t been given an official release date yet. Although Max exec, Casey Bloys, recently revealed that the show is expected to premiere in either late 2026 or early 2027.
While many are already writing the reboot off as unnecessary, especially given how beloved the original movies are, the switch to an episodic format does come with some major benefits. Most notably, the series can spend more screen time fleshing out the minor andsupporting characters from Rowling’s Wizarding World,who were otherwise cut out from Warner Bros. movies for the sake of succinctness.
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