Why Aren’t Harry Potter Fans Pleased with Rumored Snape Casting in the HBO Reboot?

Alan Rickman as Snape in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Credit: Warner Bros. | Fair use for promotional purposes

Alan Rickman as Snape in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Credit: Warner Bros. | Fair use for promotional purposes

Recent reports revealed that HBO has found an actor who will play Severus Snape in the Harry Potter TV series reboot. However, fans are not pleased with the potential casting.

Since the project was announced, there has been anticipation of who will play the iconic characters in the small-screen adaptation of the J.K. Rowling-penned series. As production is now slated to begin next year, we've been hearing reports regarding its casting.

Who is Reportedly Playing Severus Snape in HBO's Harry Potter Reboot?

Paapa Essiedu in Black Mirror
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Credit: Netflix

It was recently reported that Emmy-nominated actor Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) is being eyed to play Severus Snape in HBO's Harry Potter TV series reboot.

It is unknown yet whether he is already in active negotiations for the project, but he has already been offered the part.

If Essiedu ends up signing on to the project, he will be following in the footsteps of the late Alan Rickman, who famously played the fan-favorite character in the film series.

Essiedu has become one of the rising British actors in the past several years thanks to his acclaimed works in TV, stage, and film including his Emmy-nominated work in HBO/BBC's I May Destroy You.

So far, no actors have been officially cast yet for the Harry Potter reboot, but 32,000 kids have already auditioned to play the core trio. Oscar winner Mark Rylance is also reportedly in talks for the role of Albus Dumbledore.

Why Are Harry Potter Fans Not Pleased with the HBO Reboot's Rumored Snape Casting?

Essiedu's potential casting as Severus Snape has received divisive reactions from Harry Potter fans.

Some of them felt like the actor was not qualified to play the fan-favorite character while some also argued that he did not fit the supposed description based on the novel.

However, some fans are simply against the idea of rebooting the Harry Potter franchise as they felt that it was unnecessary considering how the film series continues to be beloved up to this day.

Here are the reactions from fans on X regarding Essiedu's potential casting in the Harry Potter series:

It is interesting to see whether Essiedu will end up agreeing to play the iconic character in the Harry Potter series or he'll decline and HBO will cast somebody else. For now, let's wait and see how it unfolds.

What do you think of Essiedu's potential casting in the reboot? Let us know in the comments!

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