Media giant HBO has officially launched the ambitious television project that will recreate the first book from the "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" series by J.K. Rowling. The production announced key details about the cast and its vision for the upcoming adaptation.
On Monday, the first official images were published, presenting the new actors in iconic roles. Nick Frost will play the good-natured half-giant Rubeus Hagrid, inheriting the legendary performance by Robbie Coltrane from the film series.
Simultaneously, the production revealed the other cast members. Dominic McLaughlin will portray the main character Harry Potter, and among the other established names are John Lithgow as Director Albus Dumbledore and Janet McTeer as Professor Minerva McGonagall.
The child actor lineup includes Arabella Staunton as Hermione Granger and Alistair Stout as Ron Weasley. Among the additional actors are Catherine Parkinson, Locke Pratt, Johnny Flynn, and several other established performers.
Behind the production are established names such as Francesca Gardiner as showrunner and executive producer, and Mark Mylod will direct multiple episodes. Among the executive producers are Rowling herself, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and David Heyman.
The ambitious television project aims to adapt each of Rowling's seven bestsellers in a separate season, with the first series planned for premiere in 2027.
The production promises to offer a modern and authentic look at the magical world that so many generations know and love. Expectations among fans are extremely high, as this project is the first major television adaptation of the classic story.
The series will present the familiar characters with a new cast that strives to preserve the spirit and magic of the original characters created by Rowling more than two decades ago.