HBO Harry Potter may have found his Albus Dumbledore. No official cast has been confirmed yet for the upcoming adaptation of Harry Potter booksalthough the search for the new Harry, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger began with an open casting call in early autumn. Your dark materials and SuccessionFrancesca Gardiner is the showrunner of the HBO series Harry Potter show, while Game of Thrones and The menuMark Mylod will direct several episodes.
According to Variety, HBO is eyeing Mark Rylance to play Dumbledore. Negotiations between the studio and Rylance have not yet begun, although they have begun contacting Rylance about the potential role. Rylance is an acclaimed actor who won an Oscar for his performance in Steven Spielberg’s film. Bridge of Spies and also has an exemplary career on stage, which includes winning three Tony Awards. He also played major roles in Adam McKay’s satirical comedy. Don’t look up and Spielberg’s adaptation of the science fiction novel Ready Player One.
What this means for the Harry Potter show
Casting is ongoing, but no roles have been confirmed yet
As negotiations with Rylance have not yet taken place and it is unknown whether he is interested in the role Rylance being the new Dumbledore is far from finalized. While Harry, Ron, and Hermione will likely be played by unknown actors, it’s not surprising that HBO is looking for acclaimed British actors like Rylance to play adult roles. This is the same approach used for the Harry Potter film cast, as Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson were newcomers, while names like Richard Harris, Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman were cast to play the adult characters.
HBO’s search for Rylance will inevitably be the first of many casting updates in the coming months, as the Harry Potter remake builds its cast. With younger actors probably not being well known it will be the addition of esteemed stars like Rylance that will help generate more excitement. His involvement, along with that of other impressive actors, will help alleviate skepticism about the Harry Potter show does not simply recap what the books and films have already done.
Our Take on Mark Rylance Potentially Playing Albus Dumbledore
Mark Rylance would make a good Dumbledore
If Rylance’s casting works out, it would be a huge step forward for the Harry Potter series. Rylance brings a sense of gravitas to stage and screen, but as can be seen in his portrayals of James Halliday in Ready Player One and Peter Isherwell in Don’t look uphe can also be eccentric, an important trait that Dumbledore possesses. It will be difficult to see anyone other than Harris or Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, but Rylance would be an excellent choice for the next Harry Potter adaptation.
Source: Variety