David Fincher wanted to give ‘Harry Potter’ a creepy spin
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The magic of Hogwarts is coming back to life as Warner Bros. Discovery gears up to start filming its highly anticipated ‘Harry Potter’ series this summer at Leavesden Studios—the same legendary location where the original films were brought to life.
During a presentation at the company’s London headquarters, showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod shared exciting updates about the upcoming show.
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Casting for the series has been in full swing, with more than 32,000 children auditioning for lead roles. The casting team is currently reviewing up to 1,000 audition tapes daily, but final selections are still pending. Workshops for shortlisted candidates are scheduled to begin in January.
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The creators emphasized their commitment to staying true to the characters’ canonical ages. For example, Severus Snape—rumored to be played by ‘I May Destroy You’ star Paapa Essiedu—will be portrayed in his 30s.
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Meanwhile, James and Lily Potter will be shown as they were at the time of their deaths: just 21 years old. Mylod also highlighted his intention to cast skilled U.K. theater actors for adult roles while introducing fresh faces for the younger characters.
The series aims to reimagine the magical world, diving deeper into character backstories and Hogwarts’ iconic locations. “We’re thrilled to explore not just the students but also the lives of the staff,” Gardiner said.
Slated to run for over a decade, the series was officially announced earlier this year and will feature a completely new cast with a focus on inclusive and diverse representation. While the casting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione remains a mystery, reports suggest that acclaimed actor Mark Rylance is being considered to take on the role of Dumbledore.
Beyond ‘Harry Potter’, Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled sneak peeks of other major projects, including the third season of ‘The White Lotus’, the second season of ‘The Last of Us’, and the ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoff ‘Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’.
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