There have been questions surrounding the Harry Potter TV series since it was first announced. The series will adapt the same novels that have already been made into a hugely popular film series, so adapting the same story again has struck some as foolhardy. However, Warner Bros. is moving forward. In the adaptation process, Variety is now reporting that it is eyeing a British legend for the role of Dumbledore.
The magazine indicates that Mark Rylance, who won an Oscar for Steven Spielberg’s film Bridge of Spies, is among the candidates for the critical role in the new adaptation. Although negotiations have not yet taken place, Variety reports that the studio has reached out to the actor’s representative to gauge interest.
An HBO representative said: “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will attract a lot of rumors and speculation. As we work our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details when deals are finalized.”
Dumbledore is one of the most important roles in the entire story, and it makes sense that HBO would want to fill the cast with famous actors, just as the original film series did. Rylance would be a major casting coup, and would signal that HBO is serious about the new adaptation.
Albus Dumbledore is the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, previously played by Richard Curtis and Michael Gambon. Rylance’s quirky, slightly eccentric energy would make him much closer to Curtis’ version of the character than Gambon’s version, but there’s no guarantee Rylance will play the role just yet.
