While fans are busy speculating which well-known stars could appear in the Harry Potter series, the role of Slytherin Head of House has been announced Severus Snape a name that probably no one had ever heard of before: Paapa Essiedu, known from the acclaimed miniseries I May Destroy You.
Who plays Snape in the Harry Potter series? Paapa Essiedu is rumored to be the first favorite
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s sources, the British actor was offered the role by HBO and Warner Bros. Television, which is behind the project. So far, however, it is unclear whether Essiedu has actually entered into negotiations. It has been official to date Not a single casting confirmed for the Harry Potter series.
A statement from HBO said:
We are aware that such a high-profile series will generate a lot of rumors and speculation. As we move through pre-production, we will not confirm details until we finalize contracts.
Essiedu would be an exciting and unexpected choice. He gained his first experience as an actor on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company. On the big screen he appeared in, among others, Murder on the Orient Express, Men and The Outrun. He played the lead role in the sci-fi series The Lazarus Project.
The fact that Essiedu is the first concrete name associated with the casting of Snape in the Harry Potter series is a clear sign that HBO and Warner Bros. are on the same page with the fantasy remake much more diverse cast than was the case with the movies from the 2000s.
The first two parts in particular had to be criticized for casting the characters from the books in a very one-sided way. Only from the third part onwards did more diversity determine the cast, but mostly only with regard to supporting roles. Snape was portrayed in all eight films by Alan Rickman, who died in 2016.
Fantasy new edition: When does the Harry Potter series start?
After it was said for a long time that the Harry Potter series was aiming for a start in 2026, recent reports are appearing more and more often 2027 as a likely start year on. So we are still at the very beginning of this mammoth project, which aims to film the seven Harry Potter books in seven seasons.