The British actor has been cast as Severus Snape, the potions professor at Hogwarts. Alan Rickman played Snape in all eight Harry Potter films. Essiedu earned several nominations for his role in the BBC’s I May Destroy You and costarred with Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

The first season of the Harry Potter TV show is scheduled for release in early 2027. Filming kicked off on July 14 at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, with the first season set to focus on the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The production — which is currently filming its first season — has cast Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley, and Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley.