The Harry Potter HBO series is officially a-go, meaning that the search for a new Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger is on - not to mention their assortment of friends and relatives including the likes of Dudley Dursley, Fred and George and Neville Longbottom! As such, HBO is inevitably going to be on the lookout for new stars to take on the new roles.
According to The Times, casting for the new show is set to begin in the next nine months, with Hero Talent Group founder Nicole Tasker telling the publication that agents will be looking to sign new child actors onto their books in preparation for the upcoming series. Of course, there is also a rumoured cast list already here...
She said: "The casting team will do open calls on social media, go to local drama groups and contact all the child agencies. It used to just be the big drama schools, but everything is more open now."
The original franchise saw Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson become household names after playing the trio of friends who go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The show will be a planned seven seasons that will be filmed over the span of ten years, with the official description reading: "The stories from each of Rowling’s Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for.
"The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much-loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years. Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally."
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The announcement was met with some controversy, with some feeling that a new adaptation wasn’t needed so soon after the movies were released, with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II being released in 2011. Others have voiced their unhappiness that JK Rowling is serving as an executive producer due to her views on the transgender community. Speaking about the controversy, HBO’s SEO Casey Bloys said: "That's a very online conversation, very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into."
He added: "The TV show is new and we’re excited about that, but remember, we've been in the Potter business for 20 years. This is not a new decision for us, we're very comfortable being in the Potter business."
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