Mon Mar 10 07:00:00 UTC 2025: ## HBO’s “Harry Potter” Series Casts McTeer as McGonagall, Essiedu as Snape

**London, UK** – HBO’s highly anticipated “Harry Potter” series adaptation is adding two major names to its cast. Deadline has exclusively learned that Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Janet McTeer is in final negotiations to play Professor Minerva McGonagall, and Emmy nominee Paapa Essiedu is close to securing the role of Professor Severus Snape. This follows the previously announced casting of John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore.

The series, planned to run for over a decade, will adhere closely to the source material, including the canonical ages of the characters. This explains the choice of Essiedu, who will portray a younger Snape (aged 31), in contrast to Alan Rickman’s portrayal in the films. McTeer’s casting aligns with the age of Maggie Smith when she took on the role of McGonagall in the film franchise.

Both McTeer and Essiedu are veterans of HBO productions, with McTeer earning an Emmy nomination for her role in “Into the Storm” and Essiedu receiving nominations for his work in “I May Destroy You.”

The series, which will film at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, aims to build on the increasingly inclusive nature of the franchise, following in the footsteps of the stage production “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Casting for the lead roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione is still underway, with over 32,000 children submitting auditions. The series is slated to debut on HBO in late 2026 or early 2027. HBO declined to comment on the casting news.

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