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The much-anticipated Harry Potter TV series from Warner Bros. Discovery is set to kick off filming this summer, with Oscar-winning costume designer Holly Waddington on board.

Laura Neal, known for her work on Killing Eve, has joined the writing team, and showrunner Francesca Gardiner was recently profiled by Deadline, offering insights into her approach.

Rumours are swirling about potential casting choices for key characters in the series. Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters), Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso, Shrinking) and Mark Strong have all been mentioned as possible contenders for the roles of McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid and Dumbledore respectively.

It was reported that John Lithgow was close to finalising a deal to play Albus Dumbledore, the enigmatic and powerful headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – a claim later confirmed by Lithgow himself in an interview with Screen Rant.

Janet McTeer is reportedly in talks to take on the role of Professor Minerva McGonagal, the transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor house at Hogwarts, while Paapa Essiedu is said to be nearing a deal to portray potions professor and Slytherin house head Severus Snape.

Warner Bros. Discovery is on the lookout for fresh faces to portray Harry, Ron, and Hermione in an upcoming TV series, with an open casting notice specifying they’re seeking actors aged between 9 and 11 as of April 2025.

Daniel Radcliffe, who famously played Harry in the movie saga, was also cast at age 11, while Emma Watson and Rupert Grint were just 10 and 12 when they started. WBD has plans to potentially reel in a major force behind the cinematic magic—Framestore, the esteemed British VFX company.

Francesca Gardiner is making waves, landing the highly coveted role of showrunner. With her background as a consulting producer on ‘ Succession ‘ for its third and fourth seasons, Gardiner triumphed over Tom Moran and Kathleen Jordan for the position. Mark Mylod, renowned for his work on ‘ Succession’, will not only direct several episodes but also serve as an executive producer.

Chris Columbus, the directorial mind behind the first two Harry Potter blockbusters—’Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone ‘ and ‘ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’—has given HBO’s television reboot his seal of approval, describing it as a “spectacular idea”.

On June 25, the intriguing update came through—it’s all systems go for HBO, which comes in light of WBD’s revamped high-stakes streaming game plan.

Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO &amp, Max Content, promised fans a “a faithful adaptation”. of the beloved Harry Potter series. He stated: “This new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years”, Despite early reports suggesting each season would focus on one book from the seven-part series, Bloys revealed plans for the project to span “10 consecutive years”, contradicting the one season per book theory. Furthermore, it was clarified during the announcement that the Fantastic Beasts franchise would not be incorporated into the series.

HBO confirmed that filming is set to commence in the summer of 2025 at Leavesden, with an expected air date sometime in 2026 or 2027. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and Executive Producer Mark Mylod made a surprise appearance at the Max Showcase in London to announce this significant step in production.

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Hilaria Baldwin has revealed she feared something could happen to her family during husband Alec Baldwin’s high-profile trial.

The 41-year-old wife of the Hollywood actor, 65, admits she wrote letters to her children “in case something happened to us” at the height of the trial after previously sharing that Alec was suicidal in the wake of the Rust on-set shooting.

Alec found himself embroiled in a legal battle after he accidentally fired a prop gun on October 21, 2021, resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. The unfortunate event took place during a rehearsal at a ranch in New Mexico. In 2022, Alec was charged with involuntary manslaughter, implying that he had caused a death due to negligence.

However, these charges were dismissed in 2023 when new evidence came to light. On the latest instalment of Alec and Hilaria’s reality TV show The Baldwins, the couple returned home after the case was dismissed. Speaking to the cameras, Hilaria admitted: “This is going to sound so stupid but I wrote the kids – that I left here – little letters and hid them. I told my friend where they were in case something happened to us”.

Hilaria, who shares Carmen, 11, Rafael, 9, Leonardo, 8, Romeo, 6, Eduardo, 4, María, 4 and Ilaria, 2, with Alec, previously recalled: “Carmen asked me last night, ‘ When daddy goes to New Mexico, do I say goodbye to him? Do I say goodbye to him in a special way? ‘]She was so afraid] that when Alec and I go into court that somebody is going to shoot us”.

Despite the case being dismissed last year, Alec still faced a civil lawsuit from Hutchins ‘ family. In March 2023, he and the Rust producers reached a financial settlement with the family. Alec received backlash for not verifying the safety of the gun before using it, given the importance of safety on film sets.

He maintained his innocence, asserting that he did not pull the trigger and that the gun discharged accidentally. Hilaria has now disclosed that she received ‘ heart wrenching ‘ text messages from Alec in the wake of the Rust tragedy. This revelation was made in a recent episode of their new reality show, The Baldwins, which offers viewers an insight into their family life and parenting journey with their seven children.

Hilaria shared some intense personal texts with viewers, revealing: “I found these text messages the other day, between us, you know, the day after. And you know, he said he wanted to kill himself”. She told the cameras about her husband’s struggles:

“He has survivor’s guilt. You’re involved in this thing that nobody could even possibly imagine. And so it goes back to that day. He wishes it were him. He would change places in a second. This has affected his health, and his mental health tremendously.

” The past few years, all of the sudden he started having heart problems. He’s been hospitalized multiple times. He’s fainted… everybody’s just screaming, I’m going, I’m on top, and I’m shaking him. It’s hard sometimes. But hopefully we’re in the hardest, but tail end of it. “

In their intimate docuseries ‘ The Baldwins’, which kicked off on Sunday 23rd February, Alec and Hilaria grapple with the aftermath of the tragic set accident where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins lost her life four years ago – an incident which led to Alec’s trial for involuntary manslaughter, a charge later dropped.

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Over the years, the stars of the Harry Potter film series have become household names.

That has led to the loss of some actors being felt deeply across the fandom. While the film adaptations may have launched the careers of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, it also starred some already famous faces who have died since their films were released.

Legends such as Alan Rickman and Helen McCroy are among those who have died over the years since the films were released. Some stars sadly did not get to see out the end of the series, such as 18-year-old Robert Knox who was tragically murdered.

Here, as another cast member sadly passes away, we look back and remember those who are no longer with us.

Simon Fisher-Becker

Simon Fisher-Becker starred as Hufflepuff House’s resident ghost, the Fat Friar, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. He also played a role in Doctor Who, taking on the part of blue-skinned intergalactic Crespallion black marketeer, Dorium Maldovar.

Other credits on his CV included One Foot in the Grave, The Bill, Doctors, Love Soup, Getting On and Afterlife. He died in March 2025 aged 63.

Maggie Smith

Oscar winner Maggie Smith died last year on September 27. She was 89. She portrayed Professor Minerva McGonagall through the entire Harry Potter film series. Away from Harry Potter, she starred as Violet Crawley in the entire Downton Abbey series and also boasted roles in the likes of Sister Act, Hook, and The Miracle Club.

Richard Harris

The iconic British actor was cast as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the first two films, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. As well as the wizarding world Richard is known for his key roles in movies such as Gladiator, Unforgiven, Camelot and The Count of Monte Cristo.

He sadly passed away on October 25 in 2002, shortly after the second film was released. He was 72 years old.

Robert Knox

Robert Knox starred in the Half-Blood Prince film. He played the part of Marcus Belby. He had also signed a contract to appear in the Deathly Hallows, part one, but sadly in May 2008, Robert was murdered outside a bar in Sidcup, London. He was only 18 years old at the time of his death.

Timothy Bateson

Timothy Bateson voiced the other and not-so-popular house elf in the Harry Potter series – Kreacher. He was born in 1926 and was famous for roles in films and TV shows from as early as the 1950s. He also starred in Labyrinth in 1986. He played the part in the Order of the Phoenix film, which ended up being his final work before he died in 2009.

Michael Gambon

Following the death of Richard Harris, Michael Gambon took on the role of Dumbledore. He played the headmaster role up until the character’s end in the Half-Blood Prince. Before he joined the Harry Potter world, Michael was known as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre.

He became famous for appearing in several Shakespearean plays including Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and Coriolanus. He passed away in September, 2023.

Derek Deadman

Derek Deadman starred as British wizard Tom who worked at The Leaky Cauldron. Included in his character’s job roles were being the landlord, innkeeper and the barman. He famously played Ringo in Never the Twain and also appeared in Jabberwocky, Time bandits and The Scarlet Pimpernel, before he died in 2014.

Elizabeth Spriggs

Elizabeth Spriggs only appeared in the first Harry Potter film. She took on the role of The Fat Lady – a living portrait and also the key to the Gryffindor common room dormitories. Characters had to state a password before she would open the door.

Other parts on Elizabeth’s CV included roles in Sense and Sensibility, Is Anybody There and Simon and the Witch. She died in 2008.

Roger Lloyd Pack

Roger Lloyd Pack played the Ministry of Magic official Barty Crouch Senior in the Goblet of Fire movie. He was most famous, however, for his roles in Only Fools and Horses, The Vicar of Dibley and Doctor Who. He passed away in 2014.

Richard Griffiths

Richard Griffiths played the horrible Mr Vernon Weasley, but an iconic character nonetheless. He appeared in five of the films in the series – he was not written in for Goblet of Fire and the Half-Blood Prince. Away from his parts in Harry Potter, Richard also starred in Chariots of Fire and The History Boys. He died in 2013.

Jimmy Gardner

Jimmy played the role of Ernie – the magic night bus driver. He was known for potentially one of the most famous lines from the series being spoken to him, which was “take it away Ern, it’s going to be a bumpy ride”. He appears just once in the Prisoner of Azkaban film, escorting Harry to the Leaky Cauldron.

Jimmy died in May 2010.

Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman had the huge role of Severus Snape in the franchise. Snape is one of the most iconic characters in Harry Potter, someone who is quite terrible but you also have a soft spot for. It isn’t until later when we find out how much depth the character has, and actually how much heartbreak he endeavoured.

Away from Potter, Rickman featured in other blockbuster movies, such as Love Actually and Sense and Sensibility Sadly, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and died in 2016.

Dave Legeno

Actor Dave Legeno was cast as the scary Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf and Death Eater. The character appeared in the Half-Blood Prince on the night of Dumbledore’s death. In 2014, the star’s body was found in Death Valley, California. Dave Legeno was found to have died of heat-related health problems.

Death Valley is California’s hottest and driest National Park and is said to be extremely dangerous for hikers.

Eric Sykes

Eric Sykes played Frank Bryce, the gardener for Voldermort’s grandparents. His character is killed in the fourth movie – the Goblet of Fire – after overhearing a conversation between The Dark Lord and his snake Nagini. He was most famous for his work on the cult comedy The Goon Show, although he first began writing for radio.

Eric died in July 2012.

Terence Bayler

New Zealand actor Terence Bayler was cast as The Bloody Baron, the naughty ghost in the Philosopher’s Stone. Prior to his Potter days, he was also famous for starring in Monty Python’s Life of Brian, but passed away in 2016.

Alfred Burke

Alfred starred as Armando Dippet in the second Harry Potter film, The Chamber of Secrets. He appeared as the headmaster of Hogwarts during a flashback scene showing Dumbledore as a student. He died in 2011.

Peter Cartwright

Peter Cartwright played Elphias Doge, a member of the Order of the Phoenix. In the film, his character helped Harry get to Grimmauld Place in the fifth film. Sadly, Peter died in 2013, shortly before the final films were completed. The character was then played by David Ryall.

David Ryall

David Ryall replaced Peter Cartwright as Elphias Doge and appeared in the Deathly Hallows, part one before passing away in 2014. David also appeared as Grandad in the BBC sitcom Outnumbered.

Robert Hardy

Robert Hardy played Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. He appeared as Fudge in the Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix. He had a successful career which spanned over 70 years. He was also famous for his portrayals of Winston Churchil and his appearance in All Creatures Great and Small. He died in 2017.

Hazel Douglas

Hazel Douglas played Bathilda Bagshot in the first part of the Deathly Hallows – a character who was the famous author of A History of Magic. Her character is killed and appears again as a corpse containing Voldermort’s snake. Hazel died in 2016.

John Hurt

An epochal character in the first Harry Potter, John Hurt played the wonderful Garrick Ollivander, the famous wand-maker. Ollivander had a shop in Diagon Alley but the character was captured and tortured by Lord Voldemort. John Hurt was famous for his roles in 1984, Alien and the Elephant Man. He died in 2017.

Helen McCrory

Helen McCrory took on the role of Draco Malfoy’s mother Narcissa. Over the course of the series, the British-born actress ‘ character becomes warmer, and in the end you sort of have sympathy for her.

Helen is probably even more famous for playing Polly Shelby in Peaky Blinders, an iconic and powerful female lead in the TV show. She also played powerful roles for the National Theatre before she died in 2021.

Paul Ritter

Paul Ritter was an English actor and was probably most famous for playing Martin, the dad in Friday Night Dinner in the years leading up to his death. But Paul also starred in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, playing Eldred Worple, a wizard and writer. The character meets Harry at Slughorn’s Christmas Party where he tries to convince him to write an autobiography. Paul passed away from a brain tumour in 2021.

Robbie Coltrane

Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane started famously as Hogwarts groundskeeper and giant Rubeus Hagrid. He appeared in all of the franchise’s films. Hagrid and Harry had a special friendship but he was also close to Dumbledore and other Hogwarts students.

Away from Harry Potter, Robbie appeared in ITV detective drama Cracker as well as the James Bond films Goldeneye and The World Is Not Enough. Robbie died in 2022.

Leslie Phillips

While Leslie Phillips didn’t appear on the screen visibly, his voice is recognisable as he played The Sorting Hat. He voiced the character in a number of the films and appeared mostly in the first film when sorting Harry and his peers into houses. The Sorting Hat’s famous line is probably triumphantly shouting “Gryffindor!” when choosing for Harry.

Leslie also played the grandpa in The Parent Trap with Lindsey Lohan but he was also known for his roles in the Carry On and Doctor Who series. He died in 2022.

Vern Troyer

American actor Vern Troyer played Griphook the Goblin in the first Harry Potter movie. He was later replaced by Warwick Davies in the films that followed. Other roles Vern was notably famous for his role included beingMini Me in Austin Powers movies. He died in 2018.

Sam Beazley

This actor played Professor Everard and appeared in the Order of the Phoenix. Everard was a past Hogwarts headmaster and showed up in the moving portraits. Sam Beazley appeared in productions of Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet in the 1930s before serving in World War II. He died in 2010 at the ripe age of 101.

A version of this article was first published on July 11, 2024.

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