A 42-year-old man has failed to be cast as Hermione Granger in the new Harry Potter TV film adaptation.
The HBO remake of JK Rowling’s wizarding books has fueled the hopes of actors around the world that they too would become famous, just like the original childhood trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint did.
With a flood of more than 30,000 applications for just a handful of roles, the producers of the new series have been overwhelmed by the interest from actors.
Every day, a team of casting agents must wade through a thousand audition tapes in an attempt to discover the next Harry Potter, Ron Weasley or Hermione Granger.
However, given the sheer volume of applications, there have been some interesting expressions of interest for the roles, most notably that of Hermione, with the 42-year-old man falling at the first hurdle.
Had he been successful in his ambitious application, the man could have appeared on screen alongside the likes of Sir Mark Rylance, Paapa Essideu and Cillian Murphy, all of whom are rumored to be part of a star-studded cast.
Despite the rejection of 42-year-old hopeful Hermione, final decisions on roles have yet to be made, according to the show’s ghostwriter Francesca Gardiner.
Gardiner described the challenge of casting as ‘daunting’ and said the production team aims to closely follow the correct recorded ages of characters from JK Rowling’s original novels.
A 42-year-old man has failed to become the next Hermione Granger in the new Harry Potter TV film adaptation
The adaptation will closely follow JK Rowling’s original novels, with the author also reportedly making the final casting decision
Filming of the new adaptation will begin in the summer of 2025 at Warner Bros Studios near Watford, Hertfordshire, with each novel being turned into its own series as part of a ten-year plan.
The original films, produced over a ten-year period between 2001 and 2011, featured a who’s who of British actors.
From Dame Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman and Michael Gambon to Robbie Coltrane and Miriam Margolyes, many expect the new TV series to have an equally exciting roll call.
This sentiment is supported by comments from series director Mark Mylod, who previously worked on HBO’s gripping show “Succession.”
“We’re going to follow the ethos of the films to find some of the best British talent and brilliant theater actors we’ve had for generations,” Mylod said.
Although no final casting decisions have been made, there have been a number of reports in US industry publications about the big names being approached by HBO.
LA-based magazine Variety reported that Sir Mark Rylance had been approached to take on the mammoth role of Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore.
Meanwhile, the Hollywood Reporter has written that Paapa Essideu has been tapped as the next Severus Snape, with Irish Oscar winner Cillian Murphy lined up to appear as the antagonist of the Voldemort franchise.
Irish Oscar winner Cillian Murphy will reportedly take on the role of franchise villain Voldemort
Paapa Essiedu has reportedly been approached by producers to essay the role of Severus Snape
Sir Mark Rylance (left) is reportedly set to take on the role of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore
However, as revealed by MailOnline earlier this year, JK Rowling will have the final say on all major casting decisions.
It’s not just the Wizarding World cast that fans can expect to see changes, though, with some differences from Hogwarts Castle itself also on the cards.
HBO’s Mark Mylod said the first eight-hour series will explore the famous castle in detail, showing its “depths and crevices” to viewers.
Reflecting how Hogwarts would develop over time, Mylod said: “Our approach is not to undermine what has been done before, but to develop it.”
‘We don’t want to tamper with the Great Hall, built in 900 AD, but will expand on other elements of Hogwarts to explore the idea that if it had been a real university it would have evolved to include elements of Georgian architecture, for example to contain.’