The Harry Potter reboot is officially recasting an actor from The Prisoner of Azkaban into the upcoming series for a brand-new and far bigger role. Warner Bros. and HBO are gearing up to reboot Harry Potter as a seven-season, big-budget series with an all-new cast that already includes John Lithgow, Paapa Essiedu, and Nick Frost among the Hogwarts staff.
HBO finally confirmed the first six cast members for the Harry Potter reboot series. Welsh actor Paul Whitehouse will play Argus Filch. He is the first person from the original movies to be recast into a new role.
The grumpy, strict, and mean-spirited Hogwarts caretaker Filch is always accompanied by his adorable cat, Mrs. Norris. Actor David Bradley played the role in the Harry Potter movies, and Whitehouse will now take over.
Whitehouse was cast in 2004's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as Sir Cadogan, an ancient wizard who was a knight at King Arthur's Round Table in the Middle Ages, many years before the books and movies took place.
By the time Harry went to Hogwarts, Cadogan was one of the many legendary wizards living on through paintings at the school. After Sirius Black supposedly attacked the Fat Lady's portrait while trying to enter Gryffindor Tower, Cadogan was appointed to guard the Hogwarts common room in her place.
As Harry and other Gryffindor students tried to enter the tower, the Medieval knight hilariously declared while blunderingly waving his sword, "Who dares challenge Sir Cadogan?" before falling over. As it turns out, Cadogan only got the job at the lion-crested house's tower as no other paintings would take it.
Unfortunately, Whitehouse's only scene as Sir Cadogan was cut from The Prisoner of Azkaban, meaning the HBO reboot will still be the first time that he actually appears in the finished version of a Harry Potter adaptation.
The 66-year-old is best known for his role in the '90s British comedy The Fast Show, but he has also featured in Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Death of Stalin, Dodger, and Corpse Bride.
The announcement also confirmed five other castings - John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.
Following the Harry Potter cast announcement, HBO was forced to take action when comment sections were flooded with backlash, hatred, and racist messages.
HBO has yet to confirm an official release date for Harry Potter, but production is expected to begin this year, hopefully in time for a 2026 premiere.
Will HBO's Harry Potter Reboot Bring Back More Original Actors?
While Paul Whitehouse's Sir Cadogan was cut from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, his casting in the HBO reboot raises an interesting question of whether actors who appeared in the eight-movie saga could take on new roles in the show.
Perhaps the most popular fan-recastings for the HBO reboot have been Tom Felton as Lucius Malfoy and Daniel Radcliffe as James Potter, suggesting the former Hogwarts student actors play their once-on-screen parents.
Unfortunately, it would be surprising if any of the Harry Potter movies' major players returned, even in new roles. Bringing back such famous faces could not only be confusing for some fans but may also risk leaning too far into fan service, which can kill the immersion of the story for some viewers.
While HBO still needs to cast some key adult roles for Harry Potter, the next big task will be finding the kids to play the Golden Trio. As these young actors will be the crux of the reboot for all seven seasons, getting their casting right is vital, especially with such big boots to fill from the beloved original movies.
