Image via HBO
Published Oct 30, 2026, 11:01 AM EDT
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HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series has already got our pumpkin juices flowing, so to speak, with every announcement confirming that we're going to be seeing the definitive adaptation of the world's most iconic book series. And with spooky season now in full flow, we're finally being introduced to some of the most important yet forgotten characters in the history of Hogwarts.
HBO has officially announced five new cast members for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, including the actors who will portray Hogwarts’ resident ghosts, the Fat Lady, and the iconic Sorting Hat. Leo Bill (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) will play Nearly Headless Nick, Andrew Brooke (Children of Men) will portray the Bloody Baron, Laura Smyth will appear as the Fat Lady, Daniel Fearn (The Batman) will play the Fat Friar, and David Threlfall (Shameless) will provide the voice of the Sorting Hat.
The new additions bring some of Hogwarts’ most recognizable supernatural residents into the upcoming adaptation. Nearly Headless Nick is the resident ghost of Gryffindor House, while the Bloody Baron is associated with Slytherin and the Fat Friar represents Hufflepuff. The Fat Lady, meanwhile, guards the entrance to Gryffindor Tower from her portrait, demanding the correct password before allowing students inside. And, of course, the Sorting Hat is responsible for deciding which of Hogwarts’ four houses each new student will call home.
Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it's your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
🦁Gryffindor
🐍Slytherin
🦡Hufflepuff
🦅Ravenclaw
PLACE THE HAT →
01
What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.
ACourage — I act even when I'm afraid, because what's right matters more than what's safe. BAmbition — I know what I want and I have the drive and cunning to get there. CLoyalty — I show up for the people I love, no matter what it costs me. DWisdom — I think before I act and I'm always hungry to understand more.
NEXT QUESTION →
02
A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.
AStep in immediately and confront whoever is responsible — I won't stand by. BWork out the best strategy to address it — a smart move beats a rash one. CBe by their side, support them, and help them through it however they need. DAnalyse what's actually happening and find the most reasoned, fair solution.
NEXT QUESTION →
03
What does success look like to you? What you're working toward defines who you're becoming.
ABeing remembered as someone who fought for what was right, whatever the odds. BAchieving the goals I set for myself — influence, status, and earned respect. CA life where the people I care about know I was there for them, always. DMastering my field, contributing something meaningful, and never stopping learning.
NEXT QUESTION →
04
What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.
ABeing a coward when it mattered — looking back and knowing I did nothing. BMediocrity — fading into obscurity without making my mark on the world. CLosing the people I love or letting them down when they needed me most. DIgnorance — being wrong and not knowing it, or never reaching my potential.
NEXT QUESTION →
05
The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
ABreak the rules — if it's the right thing to do, no rule should stop me. BFind a way to get what I want without getting caught. Rules are guidelines. CProbably follow the rules — but I'd find a way to help within them if I could. DThink it through carefully — is the rule unjust, or is my gut just impatient?
NEXT QUESTION →
06
What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.
AThe protector — I will go to the ends of the earth for the people I care about. BThe strategist — I give sharp advice and I'm the one who figures out how to fix things. CThe constant — I'm always there, always reliable, and I never make it about me. DThe guide — I help people think things through and see perspectives they've missed.
NEXT QUESTION →
07
You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.
AYourself standing victorious, having faced the greatest challenge and won. BYourself at the height of your power — respected, successful, and in control. CYourself surrounded by everyone you love, whole and happy and together. DYourself with all the answers — every book read, every mystery solved.
NEXT QUESTION →
08
The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: "You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?" This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.
ABravery. I want to be the kind of person who acts when others won't. BGreatness. I want to leave my mark and be more than ordinary. CBelonging. I want to be part of something good and never let my people down. DUnderstanding. I want to know the truth of things and keep growing forever.
REVEAL MY HOUSE →
The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen
After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.
🦁 Gryffindor
You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you're terrified — especially then.
- Gryffindors don't act because they're fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
- You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
- You charge toward what's right even when the odds are terrible.
- Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts's greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.
🐍 Slytherin
You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.
- Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
- You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
- You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
- The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.
🦡 Hufflepuff
You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.
- Hufflepuff is not the "safe" house or the "leftover" house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
- You show up. You work hard. You don't need glory or recognition — you do what's right because it's right.
- Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
- Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world's finest. And now you join them.
🦅 Ravenclaw
Your mind is your greatest gift, and you've always known it.
- Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
- Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it's about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don't know something yet.
- You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
- Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.
↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ
Who Else Is Starring in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’?
The series stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. They’ll be joined by John Lithgow (The Crown) as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer (Ozark) as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) as Rubeus Hagrid. The wider ensemble includes Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch. Recently announced additions also include Harry Gilby as Charlie Weasley, Jasper Talbot as James Potter, and Hannah Chinn as Lily Potter.
Season 2 is already assembling its own cast, with Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) set to portray Gilderoy Lockhart, alongside Lenny Rush as Dobby, Billy Barratt as Tom Riddle, Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley, Molly Hewitt-Richards as Moaning Myrtle, and Jasper Ambrose as Colin Creevey. The adaptation is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner, with Mark Mylod (Succession) directing multiple episodes and serving as an executive producer. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, David Heyman, Laura Neal, and Jon Brown also serve as executive producers.
HBO’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is scheduled to premiere on December 25, 2026, with streaming available on HBO Max. Stay tuned at Collider for more.
Release Date 2026 - 2026
Showrunner Francisca Gardiner
Directors Mark Mylod
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Dominic McLaughlin
Harry Potter
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Arabella Stanton
Hermione Granger
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Alastair Stout
Ron Weasley
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