'Succession' creators to lead new HBO 'Harry Potter' series
18 Apr 2025

The magic is officially underway for HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV series, with six major cast members announced—including John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Paapa Essiedu as Snape.

While fans eagerly await the casting of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the spotlight also shines on the powerhouse behind the series.

Succession alumni Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod will helm the show, bringing their critically acclaimed storytelling skills to this reboot.

The news has put the long-awaited reboot back in the buzz.

Mylod's journey to 'Harry Potter' adaptation
Career paths

Gardiner will be the showrunner while Mylod directs a handful of the episodes.

They will also be executive producers along with JK Rowling, who said she was confident about the duo's "genuine passion" for the books.

Mylod started his career in London theater, before moving on to direct shows such as Shooting Stars and The Royle Family.

His work on the UK version of Shameless in 2004 drew HBO's attention, and then directed episodes of Game of Thrones.

Gardiner's unique vision and approach to 'Harry Potter'
Gardiner's vision

Gardiner, a writer from a creative family, joined Succession as a consulting producer and writer in 2021. She has also worked on HBO and BBC's adaptation of His Dark Materials.

She is vocal about her dislike of patronizing children and sanitizing horror, and is committed to honoring the original books.

"She feels very strongly that she needs to honor the books," said the founder of Sid Gentle Films to Deadline.

Mylod's directing style and influence on 'Succession'
Mylod's influence

Mylod, who has directed episodes of HBO's The Last of Us, was praised for his talent to "think about the bigger picture" when working on a show.

His work with Jesse Armstrong on Succession was one of the most fruitful and meaningful in his career, Armstrong previously described.

Mylod has directed Succession episodes such as This Is Not for Tears, All the Bells Say, and Connor's Wedding.

Filming starts in 2025
Filming

Filming for the Harry Potter series is set to begin in summer 2025, though an official release date hasn't been revealed yet.

The newly announced cast includes Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Essiedu as Snape, Nick Frost as Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Filch.

The decade-long series will adapt each of Rowling's original books with more depth than the films.