‘Harry Potter’ First Look Images Showcase Severus Snape, Dumbledore & More Characters

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HBO has released a first look at its upcoming Harry Potter TV series with a short teaser trailer and several new character photos.

Dominic McLaughlin will play the main character, Harry Potter, also known as the Boy Who Lived. The first season of the show will be based on the first book in J.K. Rowling’s series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the United States). The story begins with young Harry living an unhappy life with his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley, though he appears cheerful in this picture.

After Harry’s parents tragically died when he was a baby, he was taken in by the Dursleys. Bel Powley and Daniel Rigby will portray them in the upcoming production.

It’s just heartbreaking to watch how Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon treat Harry – they’re awful to him! It really highlights how much they spoil their own son, Dudley, who’s played by Amos Kitson. The contrast is just so unfair, you really feel for Harry.

Everything changes for Harry when he receives a visit from Hagrid, a large and friendly magical man (played by Nick Frost in the show). Hagrid shares the surprising news that Harry’s parents were actually wizards, and that Harry has been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

After that, the story really gets going. Harry needs to go to King’s Cross Station in London to catch the Hogwarts Express, which will take him to school. The picture shows Harry doing just that, with his owl, Hedwig, in her cage.

And here’s the Hogwarts Express, ready to whisk Harry away to his new life:

Once on the train, Harry meets and becomes friends with Ron Weasley, who is portrayed by Alastair Stout. While Harry didn’t know much about the wizarding world, Ron grew up in a magical family. Their friendship continues throughout the entire series.

Harry and Ron befriend Hermione Granger, a highly studious student portrayed by Arabella Stanton. Unlike Harry’s experience with the Dursleys, Hermione had supportive and loving non-magical parents.

The Harry Potter books feature many characters, but the story mainly follows three: this group is famously known as the “Golden Trio.”

Harry doesn’t become friends with everyone he encounters at school. Throughout the series, he has a strong rivalry with Draco Malfoy, a rather unpleasant student portrayed by Lox Pratt, known for his role in Lord of the Flies.

The show also features a talented cast of teachers. While Hagrid maintains the grounds of Hogwarts, the school is ultimately led by Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, portrayed by John Lithgow. Lithgow is a highly recognizable actor, but he initially hesitated to take the role due to concerns about J.K. Rowling, who has faced criticism recently for statements considered anti-transgender.

Janet McTeer plays Minerva McGonagall, a professor at Hogwarts who has taught for many years. She is Harry Potter’s Transfiguration teacher.

The role of Potions Master Severus Snape is being played by Paapa Essiedu, known for his work in “I May Destroy You” and “Gangs of London.” Since his casting, Essiedu has unfortunately received significant online backlash and even death threats due to his race. Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the original “Harry Potter” films, spoke out about the controversy in 2025, calling the negativity racist and predicting that viewers will be impressed by Essiedu’s performance.

The Harry Potter films were released over a decade, from 2001 to 2011, and are still incredibly popular. While the original actors have largely offered their support to the new cast, it’s natural that people will compare the two. Below is a list showing who is playing each character in this article.

Movie Actor TV Show Actor
Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe Dominic McLaughlin
Ron Weasley Rupert Grint Alastair Stout
Hermione Granger Emma Watson Arabella Stanton
Aunt Petunia Fiona Shaw Bel Powley
Uncle Vernon Richard Griffiths Daniel Rigby
Dudley Dursley Harry Melling Amos Kitson
Draco Malfoy Tom Felton Lox Pratt
Hagrid Robbie Coltrane Nick Frost
Professor Dumbledore Richard Harris/Michael Gambon John Lithgow
Professor McGonagall Maggie Smith Janet McTeer
Professor Snape Alan Rickman Paapa Essiedu

HBO will launch a new Harry Potter series later this year, around Christmas time. The plan is to create a season for each of the seven Harry Potter books, but seasons likely won’t be released every year. According to Casey Bloys, head of HBO Max, producing a season annually isn’t realistic.

We’ll take things one book, season, and spell at a time. See you in December.

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2026-03-26 01:31