Harry Potter is returning with a new HBO and Max reboot series in 2026, and a new rumor claims Toby Woolf will replace Daniel Radcliffe in the leading role.
Development on HBO's Harry Potter has been kicking into gear in recent months after Francesca Gardiner was hired as showrunner while Mark Mylod came aboard as executive producer and director of multiple episodes.
While most of the big names involved in the original movies have said they will not be involved in the new series, that does not mean members of the original Harry Potter experience are not excited about the show.
Has the New Harry Potter Actor Been Cast?
A viral Facebook post recently claimed to reveal new details for HBO's upcoming Harry Potter reboot series, including the casting for the leading wizard.
According to the post, Pistol's Toby Woolf will play Harry Potter in the series, with Peter Pan & Wendy's Joshua Pickering and Andor's Bronte Carmichael tagging along as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, respectively.
The roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione were famously played by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson in the original eight-movie saga, but now, HBO is searching for a new, young cast to take the reins.
The rumor also stated Stranger Things' Jamie Campbell Bower will play Voldemort while Peter Capaldi, Lesley Manville, Kristian Nairn, Angus Imrie, Edward Bluemel, and Lucy David take on other key roles in Season 1.
However, all of these casting rumors are, unfortunately, false, as HBO has only just begun searching for its new Harry Potter leads and no actors are expected to board the project anytime soon.
The official Wizarding World site revealed in early September that an open casting call had begun for young actors to audition for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The requirements specify a desire to find actors who will be aged 9 to 11 in April 2025 and who are residents of the U.K. and Ireland.
The casting site calls for applicants to record a short 30-second monologue in their own accent, along with a second video sharing basic details about themselves while also describing a close family member, friend, or pet.
When Will Harry Potter's New Cast Be Announced?
As HBO is searching for actors who will be 9 to 11 years old in April 2025, that would seemingly put the rumored Toby Woolf out of consideration given he is already 15 years old - the age Harry Potter is the fifth book, The Order of the Phoenix.
With the studio holding an open casting call for one of the most famous roles in history, HBO has undoubtedly already received thousands of applicants and ought to receive plenty more before entries close on Thursday, October 31.
Once the casting call is closed, the producers will likely filter the applicants to a select number who will progress to the next stage of the process.
As there is still time to go before HBO completes its selection process, fans will not find out who the next Harry, Ron, and Hermione will be for several months now, either in late 2024 or early 2025.
These three leads will presumably be the first to be signed for Harry Potter before HBO holds similar casting calls for other young students while also searching for older, more experienced actors to play the professors, villains, and other adults.
The requirements to be aged 9 to 11 in April 2025 may imply plans to begin filming around then. Starting production during the spring would make sense for Harry Potter as the series is expected to premiere in 2026 (via Deadline) and filming around the spring would leave over a year and a half to complete Season 1.
Harry Potter will premiere on HBO and Max in 2026.
