It’s official: HBO has cast its core trio for the upcoming Harry Potter series. Dominic McLaughlin will take on the iconic role of Harry Potter, with Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The three young actors will anchor the much-anticipated (and much-debated) TV reboot of J.K. Rowling’s bestselling book series.
The main trio has been cast for the ‘HARRY POTTER’ TV series:
• Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
• Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
• Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley pic.twitter.com/b96bzMCTS5— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 27, 2025
The announcement comes after what showrunner Francesca Gardiner and executive producer/director Mark Mylod described as an “extraordinary search” for the right talent. In a joint statement, the duo shared:
“After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron. The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen. We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It’s been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there.”
It’s a solid-looking cast, to be fair—especially when compared to some of the more divisive character announcements we’ve seen circulating for this series so far. McLaughlin has a quiet, commanding presence in his previous work, while Stanton and Stout both come from critically acclaimed theatre backgrounds, suggesting the trio will bring fresh energy and emotional weight to roles long defined by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.
Still, despite the promising cast, there’s an elephant-sized Hippogriff in the room: does this series even need to exist?
The original Harry Potter films concluded in 2011 with The Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which—believe it or not—was only 14 years ago. Not exactly ancient history. The movies still hold up visually, emotionally, and culturally. They’re regularly broadcast, endlessly quoted, and remain iconic staples of modern fantasy cinema. Few fans, if any, have been clamoring for a full-blown reboot, especially one that spans multiple seasons.
And while HBO has said this adaptation will be “more faithful to the books,” early details (and a few cryptic creative changes) already have fans side-eyeing how true that claim really is.
There’s also the lingering question of timing. Between Rowling’s ongoing controversies, an increasingly crowded fantasy TV landscape, and growing franchise fatigue (Fantastic Beasts much?), the new series has a lot to prove—and not much room for error.
Still, the cast looks like a step in the right direction. If anything’s going to make skeptical fans give this reboot a chance, it’s a strong core trio with chemistry and charm. Now it’s just a matter of whether the magic can be recaptured—or if this is one spell that shouldn’t have been cast at all.
The Harry Potter series is set to premiere on HBO in 2027. Until then, expect the fandom discourse to be louder than a Howler.
