The search is on for the next generation of Harry Potter stars as casting has begun for the new HBO Harry Potter TV series.
The as-of-yet unnamed wizarding saga has been described as a "decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for," according to a statement from Warner Brothers.
Now, the hunt has begun for the cast, and children from the UK and Ireland have been invited to audition for the roles of Harry Potter and his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
The studio is looking for children who will be between the ages of 9 and 11 in April 2025 and has asked everyone to submit two short self-tapes, including a short poem or story – but nothing from Harry Potter and actors are asked to use their own accents.
If you think you or your child would be the perfect fit for the role, you can apply at the official Harry Potter Cast It page - but you haven't got long, because applications close on October 31, 2024.
It's been confirmed that Francesca Gardiner, who was Succession consulting producer for Seasons 3 and 4, will be taking charge of the show, with Mark Mylod, who worked with Gardiner on Succession, directing multiple episodes.
J.K. Rowling will be acting as executive producer on the live-action series, which will be based on all seven books in her series published between 1997 and 2007.
While it is yet to be announced when the series will hit our screens, it's fair to say Warner Brothers is keen to get the show out as soon as possible and has hinted the first season could premiere on HBO at some point in 2026.
Early reports suggested each season of the series would focus on one of the seven books in the Harry Potter series, but Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & Max Content said the project would run for “10 consecutive years."
That means we could potentially expect 10 seasons of the show, hinting the seasons may not be divided along the lines of J.K. Rowling's novels.
The Harry Potter franchise has become a global phenomenon over the years so it wasn't surprising that fans are excited about the prospect of more witchcraft and wizardry on our screens. There is also the hope that the new series will be able to include any bits of the books that didn't fit into the movies.
