Any Potterheads out there will be well aware of the fact that a brand-new Harry Potter series is currently under way.
Yep, any fans of JK Rowling's Wizarding World of Witchcraft and Wizardry are counting down the days until they can sink their teeth into the HBO reboot which will cover all seven Harry Potter books.
Now, while we all fell in love with Warner Bros.' star-studded cast throughout the eight-film franchise, it's clear many are itching for their next Harry Potter dose.
Warner Bros. TV boss Channing Dungey said earlier this year that the upcoming series, which was first announced last year and is set to premiere in 2026, will be 'more in-depth that you can in just a two-hour film… that’s the whole reason we’re on this journey'.
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Now, Potterheads themselves have already been granted the chance to star in the new HBO series and, since the announcement, they've been rushing to social media speculating on who could be cast in the most major roles with many now convinced they know who will be playing Dumbledore.
In the movies, Richard Harris was the first actor to take on the role.
He warmed the nation's hearts playing Albus Dumbledore for the first two films of the series; Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), the latter of which was his final film role.
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He sadly died from Hodgkin's Disease in 2002 at the age of 72 and the role was taken over by Michael Gambon who starred as Dumbledore in the remaining six films.
Gambon sadly died in 2023 aged 82 following a bout of pneumonia.
Naturally, there's been a lot of buzz over who will fill Harris and Gambon's shoes as the beloved headmaster, with inside sources reporting it could be none other than Sir David Mark Rylance Waters.
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"Variety understands that Warner Bros. Television hasn’t yet entered into negotiations with the actor, but the studio has reached out to gauge interest and availability," the outlet reported.
Rylance, a decorated actor, playwright and theatre director, would make a great fit for the role given his many accolades including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards.
The 64-year-old has also starred in a number of box-office and TV smashes including the highly-anticipated BBC period drama Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light and The Government Inspector as well as The BFG, Dunkirk, Bridge of Spies and Bones and All.
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Fans rushed to social media sharing their thoughts about the possibility of Rylance taking on the role, with one X user writing: "Tbf if he does it this is a f**king top tier casting."
Another agreed: "He would be great. Fantastic actor."
And a third gushed: "Perfect casting!"
As per Deadline, Chairman and CEO, HBO & Max Content Casey Bloys promised a 'faithful adaptation'.
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He said: "This new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years."
Bloys added that the adaptation was being done 'with the full care and craft of this franchise'.
A spokesperson for HBO has since told Tyla: "We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation.
"As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalise deals."
Tyla has also reached out to Mark Rylance's representatives for comment.
Topics: Harry Potter, TV And Film, HBO, JK Rowling
Rhiannon Ingle