Harry Potter HBO Update: New Severus Snape Actor ‘Closing His Deal’

The new Severus Snape actor is Harry Potter HBO series.

HBO is currently working on a well-known television show adapting Harry Potter fantasy books. John Lithgow plays Professor Albus Dumbledore in the series, but it was recently announced that Janet McTier is in negotiations to play Professor Minerva McGonagall.

Who’s looking to do Severus Snape on the Harry Potter HBO show?

In December 2024, Paapa Essiedu not only considered some of Professor Seclus Snape, but also reported that he was offered a role.

According to Deadline, Essiedu is currently “closing his deal.” So, although it’s not official at this point, he could be cast in the series.

“We are grateful that such a high-profile series will elicit a lot of rumors and speculation,” HBO told Deadline in a statement. “When you go through pre-production, we only check the details when you complete the transaction.”

Essiedu is known for appearing in television shows such as Gangs of London, I Destrow You, Lazarus Project, Black Mirror, and Black Doves. He played Sergeant Campbell in the murder of Kenneth Branagh in the Orient Express Remake released in 2017, then appeared in Man of 2022, Jeannie in 2023, and The Autrun in 2024.

He is also attached to a British comedy horror film directed by Craig Roberts. The film doesn’t have a release date yet, but it also stars Ella Prunel, Lis Ifens and Antonia Thomas.

The Harry Potter TV series comes from writer and showrunner Francesca Gardiner, director and executive producer Mark Millod. There is no release date yet, but the deadline is likely to premiere in “late 2026 or early 2027.”