Entertainment Desk: HBO’s highly anticipated “Harry Potter” reboot is officially underway, with filming now in progress. The streaming giant unveiled the first glimpse of the new series on Monday via Instagram, revealing young actor Dominic McLaughlin in costume as the iconic boy wizard.
Wearing Hogwarts’ signature school robes and Harry’s round glasses, McLaughlin posed with a clapperboard in hand on set. The caption read: “First-years, step forward. The HBO Original Harry Potter series is now in production.”
The reboot marks a fresh retelling of JK Rowling’s beloved book series, with a new cast stepping into the roles made famous by the original film franchise. Dominic McLaughlin takes on the challenge of portraying Harry Potter—a character indelibly associated with Daniel Radcliffe, who starred in the eight-film saga that ran from 2001 to 2011.
Fans flooded the comments section with messages of encouragement. “He looks great as Harry!” wrote one user, while another added, “Good luck little Harry. Please protect him from all the haters.” Another fan commented, “Just do your best, little Harry!” Some were impressed by the casting, with one remarking, “He actually looks like Harry. As a die-hard Potter fan, I gotta say, I’m impressed.”
The new adaptation will also star Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Veteran actors John Lithgow, Paapa Essiedu, Janet McTeer, and Nick Frost will portray Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, and Rubeus Hagrid, respectively.
JK Rowling is involved in the project as an executive producer. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she expressed her excitement: “I read the first two episodes of the forthcoming HBO Harry Potter series and they are SO, SO, SO GOOD!”
While HBO has yet to confirm a release date, the reboot is expected to follow the structure of the original novels closely, with each season adapting a single book.
