Warner Bros. Television is looking to enlist an Academy Award-winning actor to portray Professor Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter TV show for HBO. The iconic character was formerly played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the blockbuster franchise.
Who does HBO want to play Dumbledore in the Harry Potter TV show?
Oscar winner Mark Rylance, who’s best known for his roles in Bridge of Spies, Ready Player One, and The Trial of the Chicago 7, is reportedly one of the frontrunners being eyed by HBO for the role of Dumbledore. According to an HBO representative, the creative team is still currently finalizing casting deals for the project.
“We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” HBO said in a statement (via Variety). “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
The Harry Potter series is described as a “decade-long” project, with each season expected to adapt one book in Rowling’s acclaimed book series. At the moment, the casting search for the next Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasly is still underway in the U.K. and Ireland. The chosen child actors must be aged 9 to 11 in April 2025, teasing its potential production start date.
The HBO adaptation is being written by Emmy-winning-producer Francesca Gardiner (Killing Eve, Succession). The series is executive produced by Gardiner, Mark Mylod, Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and long-time Harry Potter franchise producer David Heyman. Mylod, who has worked with HBO on Games of Thrones and The Last of Us, will also helm multiple episodes. It is a production by HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television.
