Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione, Snape… the characters of the new Harry Potter in pictures

The heroes of HBO’s new Harry Potter show their faces in the trailer. We made a trombinoscope.

Will they look like the heroes of JK Rowling’s novels? Will they be totally different from the films?

We have the answer – in part – with the trailer for the Harry Potter series, which immediately immerses us in HBO’s new vision of the wizarding world. This ambitious adaptation takes up the seven volumes of the saga, one per season, with the first stage being Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, released this winter. The cast mixes well-known faces and young talents, all ready to embody a modern and faithful version of the iconic characters. In the images revealed by HBO, we discover Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid, McGonagall, Malfoy, the Dursleys and many others. Visually, it must be said: it looks a lot like the films! We made a little overview of the new heroes of Hogwarts:

Harry Potter (Dominic McLaughlin)

The trailer opens with him, obviously. We discover him living in the cupboard under the stairs at the Dursleys’ house, struggling to find his place at home and at school. He soon receives his letter to Hogwarts. In the subway in London, Hagrid talks to him about the courage and goodness of his parents then they leave for the Hogwarts Express… Aesthetically, this Harry will not have Daniel Radcliffe’s face, the haircut will also change a little, but the little round glasses will be there and his school uniform will be essentially identical…

Ron Weasley (Alastair Stout)

Ron first appears in the trailer kissing his mother on platform 9 3/4, while Harry watches from the train. The video also reveals his first meeting with the one who brought down Voldemort: “Are you really Harry Potter?”

Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton)

The young girl of the trio is less present in the trailer. But Hermione is seen cheering Harry on during a Quidditch match, taking an herbology class, exploring Hogwarts with her friends, and traveling on the Hogwarts Express alongside Harry and Ron.

Albus Dumbledore (John Lithgow)

Dumbledore appears only briefly in the trailer, wearing his hat and turning around in a candlelit room. The former Dexter serial killer will be hidden under a big beard and a pointed magician’s hat which gives him the appearance of Merlin (photo above)… But obviously, his look will be very, very close to the Dumbledore of the films.

Severus Snape (Paapa Essiedu)

Snape is also very discreet in the trailer, lighting up a dark corridor with his wand. Another image shows him dressed in black in front of snow-covered trees. A priori, he will have a very disturbing appearance in this first season, perhaps even more so than Alan Rickman at the time of the first film.

Rubeus Hagrid (Nick Frost)

This is perhaps the one that will be unanimous among fans: in the trailer, we see the English star of Shaun of the Dead speaking to Harry with a good nature that already bursts from the screen: “Your parents were the kindest and bravest I have ever met. They were funny and intelligent, and stood for what they believed was right…” We already say to ourselves that he was made for the role.

Minerva McGonagall (Janet McTeer)

Incarnated by the villainess of Ozak, the famous professor appears in front of a huge group of students, ready to welcome them to Hogwarts and supervise their distribution into the different houses. With her glasses on her nose, she should have a very severe look.

Draco Malfoy (Lox Pratt)

The trailer shows Drago and his friends taking out their wands in a threatening manner. We see that the character will be significantly less childish than in the film version. He seems stronger and more seductive. The hair style is also more daring. The actor who plays him is already 14 years old (Tom Felton was 13 when the first film was filmed).

Vernon and Petunia Dursley (Daniel Rigby and Bel Powley)

Aunt Petunia scolds Harry and forcibly cuts his hair, pointing the scissors in his face: “I told you: you’re a normal boy, you’re going to start acting like one. Do you think you’re special? There’s nothing special about you,” she says. Both of Dudley’s parents will apparently wear glasses (unlike the films) and Vernon will be visibly thinner.

Dudley Dursley (Amos Kitson)

It’s a bit the same observation as Draco for Harry’s other enemy: his cousin appears more adolescent here than in the first film. He will also be visibly more of a bully aggressor than a poorly behaved brat.

Garrick Ollivander (Anton Lesser)

The famous wand maker makes a brief appearance in the video, as he is seen interacting with Harry. The Game of Thrones alum will wear glasses and have a more gaunt face than the John Hurt version from the films.

Molly Weasley (Katherine Parkinson)

In the trailer, she appears tender and protective towards Ron on the station platform. A furtive appearance which does not really allow us to see what exactly the character will look like, even if she seems a little younger than the version in the films: the actress has just turned 48, while Julie Walters was almost 51 at the time of filming the first film.

Crabbe and Goyle (Finn Stephens and William Nash)

Draco Malfoy’s intimidating sidekicks appear in the trailer as menacing figures but faithful to their role as “gorillas”. Like their boss, they will appear slightly older in this first season.

The official HBO Max synopsis describes: “There’s nothing special about Harry Potter, or at least that’s what his Aunt Petunia keeps telling him. But on his 11th birthday, a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens Harry the doors to a hidden world of magic, friendship, and adventure. However, this new life comes with great dangers, as Harry must face an enemy formidable from his past.”

Harry Potter, the series, will be released at Christmas 2026 on HBO Max in France.