‘Harry Potter’ Series To Begin Shooting Over The Summer At Leavesden; Showrunner Reveals 32,000 Kids Auditioned For Lead Roles

Max Goldbart
·2-min read

HBO has confirmed when the new Harry Potter series will start shooting.

Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod made a surprise appearance at the Max Showcase in London this evening to reveal that the big-budget retelling of JK Rowling’s novels will film at Leavesden this summer.

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Alongside HBO boss Casey Bloys, Gardiner spoke for the first time about some of her early thoughts on the “very very specifically British 1990s production,” as described by Bloys.

Gardiner, who said she had “devoured” the books as a 14-year-old, revealed that a whopping 32,000 young actors auditioned for the lead roles of Harry, Hermione and Ron.

With other characters, they will stick to the “canonical” ages, which means Snape, who is rumored to be played by Paapa Essiedu, will only be 31 and the Dursleys will be much younger than they were in the movies.

Gardiner described the show as offering up a “bigger sandpit to play in” than the movies.

Other insights into her retelling included more activity from the Hogwarts staff room and “having fun with [poltergeist] Peeves in the corridor.” Check out our profile of Gardiner over here.

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Mylod said he will “dig into the depths and crevices of Hogwarts.”

JK Rowling

Speaking later, Bloys was put under pressure over JK Rowling’s involvement with the project, given her vocal anti-trans views and fallouts with actors from the movies.

But Bloys said “we are totally comfortable with” working alongside the author of the source material. He pointed out that the company had “huge success” with last year’s Hogwarts video game.

He said he would rather “do what the creatives want to do” than “listen to fan conversation.”

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