HBO is interested in casting I can destroy youis Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in her upcoming film Harry Potter TV series, Deadline understands. However, no formal offers have been made to the actor, nor has his team spoken to HBO officials about a possible deal.

In the films, it was the late Alan Rickman who made the cool but somewhat likable Snape famous. The character is expected to be the antagonist in the series. We hear that both Mark Strong and Mark Rylance are circling the role of Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts.

An HBO spokesperson recently said of such casting rumors: “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will generate a lot of rumors and speculation. As we go through pre-production, we will not confirm details until we finalize contracts.”

HBO is planning a diverse cast for the TV series. The long-running stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has also embraced diversity when it comes to the main characters from the books and films, for example Hermione.

Emmy and BAFTA nominee Essiedu recently signed with WME for representation. For his role as Kwame in Michaela Coel’s HBO series, he received an Emmy nomination for Supporting Actor in Limited or Anthology Series and a BAFTA TV nomination for Lead Actor I can destroy you. He also received a BAFTA TV nomination for Lead Actor The Lazarus Project.

The actor’s other current projects include those at the National Theater The effectwritten by Lucy Prebble and directed by Jamie Lloyd, moving to The Shed in New York this year; Season 6 of the cult anthology series Black mirror (“Demon 79”); and the working title/Universal Christmas film The spirit, Director: Sam Boyd, Screenplay: Actually loveThis is Richard Curtis. Essiedu also recently starred opposite Saoirse Ronan in “ The outrun.

The Harry Potter The series was written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner. Mark Mylod serves as EP and will direct several episodes. The show is an HBO production in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. The series is also EPed by Harry Potter Writer JK Rowling, Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV and the franchise picture’s original producer, David Heyman of Heyday Films

Deadline’s Jake Kanter recently wrote about Gardiner, who was chosen for the job in June after a grueling four-month selection process involving Rowling. Gardiner is currently putting together her writers’ room, which includes Kill Eve‘s Laura Neal as well as Andy Greenwald, the creator of the USA Network series Briarpatchand Josephine Gardiner, Francesca’s sister.