HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series is reportedly eyeing I May Destroy You and Black Mirror actor Paapa Essiedu to play the role of Severus Snape.
According to a report from THR, the British actor has apparently been offered the part, although it's unknown at this time if negotiations have started. No roles have been officially cast for the series -- which is due out on Max sometime in 2026 -- but recent reports say Warner Bros. is interested in casting British actor and playwright Mark Rylance as Albus Dumbledore, a character that shares several important scenes with Snape across the series.
Essiedu played Gaap in the 2023 Black Mirror episode Demon 79, and he had a starring role in the 2020 British drama I May Destroy You. He was nominated for an Emmy and a BAFTA award for his performance in the latter, and IGN nominated I May Destroy You as one of the best television series of 2020.
Severus Snape is Hogwarts' potions professor at the start of the Harry Potter series. The late Alan Rickman played Snape across all eight Harry Potter films from 2001 to 2011.
While the series may be closing in on its Dumbledore and Snape, there's still no word on who will play the golden trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. In September 2024, fans spotted an open casting call for the series, searching for "children who are aged 9-11 in April 2025".
We also know Succession producers Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod will lead the upcoming Harry Potter series as its director and writer, and that Harry Potter star Danielle Radcliffe has said he's unlikely to make a cameo in the series, which has already received a 10-year commitment from Warner Bros. Discovery.
Image credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Harper's Bazaar UK
Logan Plant is IGN's Database Manager, Playlist Editor, and Super Ninfriendo on Nintendo Voice Chat. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @LoganJPlant.
