Harry Potter HBO show begins looking for its Harry, Ron, and Hermione as open casting call says it's committed to "inclusive, diverse casting"

Do you have what it takes to be the next Harry Potter? Well, you may get the chance as HBO has put out an open casting call in search of a new Harry, Ron, and Hermione for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show. 

The casting call posted on Cast It Talent reads, "We are currently only able to consider children who are aged 9-11 in April 2025." The document then asked for a video of the prospective talent reading a poem or monologue not from the Harry Potter franchise and then a second clip "telling us a bit about yourself, including your date of birth, height, and where you live."

Apart from age, reading material in your own accent, and being from the UK or Ireland, the roles do not have any further requirements. "We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting," reads the post. "For every role, please submit qualified performers, without regard to ethnicity, sex, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by law unless otherwise specifically indicated."

When the post first dropped many fans feared this might have been fake news, but the studio has now confirmed its authenticity to Variety. The open call has since been circulating online, with many fan pages spreading the word far and wide.

One interesting part of the call, though, is that it suggests the series will film during 2025-2026, which gives us a better idea of when to expect the show. There is no release date yet for the HBO series but during Warner Bros.'s February earnings call, it was announced that the Harry Potter series is targeting a 2026 release window. 

The deadline for casting submissions is very fittingly this Halloween, 31 October 2024. The Cast It website is the only way to apply.

Not much is known about the series at this point other than the studio is planning to make seven seasons that will run over the course of 10 years, to reflect the seven Harry Potter books. Killing Eve’s Francesca Gardiner will serve as showrunner and executive producer alongside Succession’s Mark Mylod who will also direct multiple episodes.

For more, stay up to date with new TV shows heading your way in 2024 and beyond.

It is important to note that the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series has been the subject of criticism and debate due to the show’s executive producer and author J.K. Rowling’s very public and harmful stance on gender identity. It was a similar situation with the Hogwarts Legacy launch. For more, read more about the Hogwarts Legacy controversy.