New art imagines what the cast of HBO’s newly-announced Harry Potter series could look like, based on fan’s favorite recurrent TV actors and up-and-coming stars.
The images, created by Hearts Land, used an AI generator to see what popular actors from previous series – including House of the Dragon, The Sopranos and Game of Thrones – would look like if they were cast in the rumored Harry Potter reboot.
This follows news that HBO Max is close to securing a deal to create a Harry Potter TV show, with each season set to follow the story of one book in the seven-novel series.
And although it’s hard to imagine iconic roles like Dumbledore and Professor Snape being recast, the images suggest that the characters would be done justice by the right actors.
HBO has a tendency to cast their most versatile actors in recurrent roles, with Stephen Tobolowsky of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage fame appearing in eight movies and shows, so it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine they’d do the same for this series.
However, the network has also put less-established actors in the spotlight in recent series, like Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us and Millie Alcock in House of the Dragon.
Based on these tendencies, the images theorise which recurrent and newly-popular actors would be best-suited to some of the most pivotal roles in the first story of the series – and fans will be pleased to know that some familiar faces could feature in the Wizarding World.
Imagined in the role of Hogwarts’ headmaster Albus Dumbledore is Paddy Considine, who – although he’s a lot younger than the 150-year old wizard – could seemingly play him convincingly with the help of special effects to age him up as the show progresses.
He’s no stranger to some ageing-up, either, having portrayed the ailing King Viserys Targaryen in House of the Dragon, and narrowly missing out on a Best Actor nomination at the Golden Globes. Being cast in the series could well give him another run at the award.
No good Dumbledore is complete without Professor Minerva McGonagall by his side, and although many fans would much prefer to see Dame Maggie Smith reprise the role, HBO could choose to cast recurrent actress Edie Falco as the Scottish half-blood witch.
Best known for portraying Carmela on The Sopranos, Edie Falco is also a few years shy of McGonagall’s age of 101 during Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, and she’ll also have to work hard to shed her distinctive Brooklyn accent.
Many Harry Potter fans will be reluctant to accept an American actress in the franchise given it’s renowned for highlighting British talent, but the AI image bears such a close resemblance to the film’s McGonagall – and it’s pretty clear which scene it’s drawn from.
Slytherin enthusiasts will also be hesitant to imagine anyone take on the mantle of death eater Lucius Malfoy, given Jason Isaacs truly made the sneering character his own.
However, one recurrent actor who could fit the bill is Alexander Skarsgard, who has a suitably steely stare and similarly angled features that add to Lucius’ haughty exterior.
The AI did have a hard time fully capturing the Swedish actor in the role, but it gives a good indication of what another star would look like with Malfoy’s signature blonde tresses.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Skarsgard exudes ‘ a mysterious magnetism that made him a natural to play dark, often disturbed characters’, having appeared in the likes of Donald Glover’s Atlanta, HBO’s Big Little Lies, True Blood, and the Straw Dogs remake.
Of all the grown-up characters in the first Harry Potter film, few would be as hard to recast as Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant half-human groundskeeper who takes Harry under his wing.
However, fan suggestions made on forums like Reddit and mycast point to one HBO alumni who could be a good fit with the help of stature-increasing special effects; The Last of Us actor Nick Offerman, who is used to playing a gentle giant-esque role.
Although at first glance he doesn’t seem like the best fit when compared to other fan choice Nick Frost, the AI generated image does make the casting a bit more convincing.
He’s also demonstrated that he’s capable of portraying shy yet loving characters a la Hagrid, having most recently given life to sensitive The Last of Us loner Bill.
Casting Severus Snape will be a mission for the series, as Alan Rickman is so intrinsically linked with the on screen portrayal of the potions master that it’ll be difficult to find another actor that will get the same positive fan reception.
However, Harry Potter fans online are pretty united in opinion that Adam Driver could play the part of a slightly younger Snape, if IMDb fan casting lists are anything to go by.
Although he’s better known for silver screen roles – portraying angsty jedi Kylo Ren in Star Wars and ruthless businessman Maurizo Guccii in House of Gucci – Driver does have connections within HBO, having appeared in Girls alongside Lena Dunham.
Speaking on the imaginings, Hearts Land said: “One of the most exciting applications of AI is that it gives fans a new way to express their creativity and enthusiasm when supporting their favourite franchises – including Harry Potter, which is having a resurgence right now.
“Now it’s possible and easy to imagine actors as new or existing characters, which makes the universe and role they’re portraying seem more realistic and relatable. That’s particularly existing for fans who turn to art to start a discussion and to find common ground with others.”
What the images don’t do is imagine the younger cast – namely the three primary characters, Harry, Ron and Hermione – as the series is an amazing opportunity to bring new talent to the forefront, and to create new household names for the next generation.
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