EXCLUSIVE: There was an audible gasp during this month’s Max Showcase in London when Francesca Gardiner, the new Harry Potter showrunner, let slip that a whopping 32,000 people had auditioned for what might well be the biggest three acting gigs of the decade.

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger – 32,000 kids who submitted for the open casting call What that list implies is that some of these actors should be a bit younger, or sometimes quite a bit, than the previous actors who took these adult roles. Mark Strong, just 61, is certainly an interesting pick for the wizened Dumbledore.

Harry Potter TV series cast speculation. In September 2024, TV network HBO confirmed to Variety that they had launched a casting call for youngsters who think they might be in wit