Dominic McLaughlin looks every bit the boy wizard in the first released image of the new Harry Potter television series, according to Variety on 14/7. Sporting round glasses and the Hogwarts uniform, the young actor's image garnered millions of views and tens of thousands of likes on X (formerly Twitter). Fans responded enthusiastically, with comments like, "He looks just like he does in the books, can't wait to see it," and "Dominic looks perfect for the role. I hope it premieres soon."

Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter in the new television series. Photo: HBO

McLaughlin stars alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The three young actors were selected from over 30,000 hopefuls during casting last year.

The role of Harry Potter launched British actor Daniel Radcliffe to international stardom. He played the boy wizard from the age of 12 to 22 (from 2001 to 2011). According to Celebrity Net Worth, Radcliffe now has a net worth of around 110 million USD and is considered one of Britain's most successful actors of the past 20 years.

The new HBO series, slated to air in 2027, will adapt each of J. K. Rowling's books. The series will follow Harry from his first year at Hogwarts, his friendships with Ron and Hermione, and his ultimate confrontation with Lord Voldemort. Filming began this summer at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England.

The supporting cast includes John Lithgow as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Professor Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. The project boasts an experienced production team, including producer and screenwriter Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod, known for the Emmy-winning series Succession.

The Harry Potter series chronicles the adventures of the eponymous young wizard and his two friends at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was published on 26/6/1997. To date, the seven-book series has sold 500 million copies, making it the best-selling book series in history, and has been translated into 73 languages. The final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, published on 21/7/2007, sold 15 million copies worldwide within 24 hours. The books were adapted into eight films, which grossed 7.7 billion USD globally and received 12 Oscar nominations.

Following the casting of Noma Dumezweni as Hermione in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the franchise continues to embrace diversity with its casting choices for the television series. This mirrors the approach taken by another popular fantasy franchise, The Lord of the Rings, which streams on Amazon. However, HBO's decision to cast Paapa Essiedu, a Black actor, as Snape, a character famously portrayed by Alan Rickman, has drawn some criticism from fans.

Cat Tien (Variety)