The upcoming Harry Potter TV series at HBO, which aims to more faithfully adapt all seven books in the series across several multi-episode seasons, has set its sights on a potential actor to play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. According to a new report, HBO is possibly looking at casting British actor and playwright Mark Rylance in the role.
As reported by Variety, Mark Rylance is apparently on the radar to play Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series. Rylance is quite a prestigious actor, having won an Academy Award for Bridge of Spies in 2016. Rylance also has three BAFTA awards under his belt as well as three Tony awards. The actor’s other notable works include The BFG, Ready Player One, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Dunkirk.
While it may seem like Rylance would an ideal fit for the role, Variety’s report mentions that HBO has yet to even begin negotiations with the actor. At the moment, the company is simply keeping Rylance on its radar as a top candidate for the part. HBO issued a statement to the media outlet stating, “We appreciate that such a high profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalise deals.”
Judging by the sound of the statement, HBO hasn’t sealed the deal so we’ll have to wait and see if Rylance lands the role or not. Beyond that, the production company has already put out a casting call seeking young actors to play the three central figures in the saga: Harry, Ron and Hermione. Unfortunately, Daniel Radcliffe, who famously played the titular character in the blockbuster movie adaptations, said he’s unlikely to make a cameo in the show.
More excitingly, the upcoming sequel to Hogwarts Legacy will tie into the new HBO Harry Potter series in some way.
Source: Variety
