Latest news with #HarryPotterandtheDeathlyHallows
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
All hail the new Harry
We may be coming up to the eighteen-year release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, (July 21, 2007, for the loyal original fans who had once carved that little event into their calendars) but thanks to HBO and Warner Bros, the boy who lived will continue to live on for a while longer yet. As reported by AFP and nearly every other entertainment outlet around the world, production on the multi-series show has kicked off, and the first images of the newest Harry (played by Dominic McLaughlin) in full Hogwarts gear have lit up screens wherever screens are to be found. A good start Have HBO and Warner Bros ticked all the boxes? The short answer is: yes. The longer answer is, we won't really find out until 2027, when the first episode is slated to hit screens at a date no one is quite sure of yet. However, if, as all Potter fans are wont to do, we crack out a magnifying glass and study this latest Harry's photo at face value, McLaughlin's Harry tallies almost perfectly with the vision JK Rowling gave us in her novels. This is a good thing, because this is the Harry who will grow up with the television series for the next ten years. It is not a short commitment. If our upcoming protagonist's face does not belong to Daniel Radcliffe, it had better tally up with the face we have carried in our heads after committing the books to memory. McLaughlin's genetics aside, how much credit we can get away with giving HBO for pulling off this costume achievement remains debatable. Over the course of seven books, Rowling took pains to describe her hero with vivid attention to detail, so for anyone who actually knows how to tick boxes of any description, it is very difficult to go wrong with attempts at recreating him. For those who are still unaware (although frankly how you have still managed to evade Potter trivia this far into the twenty-first century remains a mystery), Harry's main story begins at age 11 when he is a vertically challenged young boy. He sports a shock of untidy black hair inherited from his father. He has bright green eyes identical to his mother's. This is an important plot point that Harry Potter filmmakers treated with short shrift for the film franchise, but we will return to this tragic shortcoming momentarily. Parking eye colour in the corner for a moment, what everybody has managed to get right is the fact that Rowling's Harry wears round glasses – whatever other shortcomings his aunt and uncle had after reluctantly adopting him, they at least routinely had his eyes tested. Finally, to complete this atypical vision of our boy wonder, Harry – be it in the books or on screen – also bears a scar on his forehead, bequeathed to him by his nemesis during an ill-advised moment of wildly miscalculated fury. Unimaginative parents around the world have been stuffing their sons into Harry Potter costumes at Halloween for years, scrawling a scar with a red marker on their foreheads for good measure. If burnt-out parents can take on this onerous task, so can the full might of HBO and Warner Bros. Don't screw it up Fortunately, TV producers have managed to avoid dispelling disappointment at this embryonic stage of the filming process. We must cautiously applaud this, because they certainly did avoid disappointment when casting Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, with Essiedu physically resembling his character as closely as an onion does a carrot. In other words, not even a legally blind patient could confuse one for the other. But let us get back to less distressing things. As Harry, McLaughlin's hair looks as though it has been brushed with a balloon, his glasses are satisfyingly round and dark-rimmed, his tie is in Gryffindor colours, and he has the obligatory faint scar after his early liaison with Voldemort. As a special bonus, he also appears to not be suffering the medical condition that led Radcliffe's eyes to reject green contact lenses and settle for blue instead. Whilst it is no fault of Radcliffe's what colour contact lenses his eyes chose to find offensive, it is certainly the fault of the filmmakers who appeared to harbour the delusion that nobody would notice if Harry's mother had brown eyes. Perhaps this was also the same crew who thought nobody would care if a non-calm Dumbledore turned up in the Goblet of Fire film, or if Ralph Fiennes Voldemort would be seized with a desire to hug one of his Death Eaters. If so, they were dreadfully wrong on both counts. We noticed so much that someone has even chosen to re-enact a Lego version of a not-calm Dumbledore asking Harry if he put his name in the goblet of fire. When you are forced to seek solace in Lego figures to stem the pain of a filmmaker's blithe ignorance of source material, you know the cut runs deep. Will this fabulous-on-paper Harry continue to remain faithful to the books? Radcliffe certainly did not, although we cannot fault him for memorising a script he did not write or for following his directors' orders. The sad truth remains, however, that after leaving the tender loving care of Chris Columbus post-Chamber of Secrets, film Harry was apt to veer off canon with reckless abandon. As loyal book fans are aware, by the time the last two films came around, celluloid Harry found it perfectly acceptable to dance with Hermione in a tent and break a hugely important wand in two, leading to book fans drawing on epic resources of inner restraint to avoid throwing things at the screen, once they had presumably staved off an impending heart attack. Will McLaughlin's Harry be forced to carry out similar acts of lunacy? Or will he remain the Harry that book lovers have carried in their heads since 1998? We book fans may be able to forgive a temperamental Dumbledore and an off-brand Snape. But Harry is the core of these stories. Now that HBO Harry looks the part, we are requesting that he henceforth refrains from tiresome tent-dancing, that treats the Elder Wand with the respect it deserves, and that he lands a mother with the correct eye colour. We have many more demands, but this is enough to be cracking on with for now. Thank you for attending this TED talk.
Metro
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Full list of Harry Potter TV series cast members so far as production begins
The Harry Potter cast is taking shape for HBO's upcoming TV adaptation. This month marks 14 years since the final part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hit the big screen and brought the film franchise to an end. A decade and a half later, a TV reboot is on the way in a move that isn't without controversy, given JK Rowling's comments about the trans community. There are still some big names already confirmed for the cast, and a trio of young stars ready to make their names as Harry, Ron and Hermione. The casting news is still rolling in, with John Lithgow and Paapa Essiedu confirmed, as well as Sherlock's Louise Brealey and Andor's Anton Lesser most recently announced. We now know that filming is underway for the show, so here's a list of all the actors set to decamp to Warner Bros Studios to recreate the wizarding world roles. John Lithgow was the first name to be attached to the Harry Potter series when he let slip he had been cast as Albus Dumbledore. He'll be playing the Hogwarts headmaster played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the original films. 'It was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid,' he previously told Screen Rant. 'But I'm very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter.' Paapa Essiedu has some big shoes to fill as Severus Snape, following on from the late, great Alan Rickman. There has been plenty of conversation around Essiedo too after his previously support of LGBTQ+ rights, which JK Rowling has said wouldn't impact his role despite 'beliefs that differ from her'. Away from Potter, he's best known for his roles in the likes of I May Destroy You, Gangs of London and Black Mirror. Stage and screen actress Janet McTeer has been cast as Minerva McGonnagal in the series. The role was originated by the late Dame Maggie Smith, but Janet will be hoping to put her own stamp on the role. Across film and TV, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning actress has appeared in the likes of Wuthering Heights, As You Like It, The Menu and Ozark. Finding the right Harry Potter is vital for the new series, and show bosses think they've done just that with Dominic McLaughlin. Daniel Radcliffe's successor has some acting experience, having appeared alongside Game of Thrones' Indira Varma in a Shakespearean production of Macbeth. He's also set to star in the ensemble cast for Sky film Grow, a comedy including Bridgerton's Golda Rosheuvel. Following in Emma Watson's footsteps as Hermione Granger is Arabella Stanton. She's no stranger to playing a clever clogs with magic powers, having portrayed Roald Dahl's character Matilda Wormwood on the West End. Last year, she appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's roller-skate musical Starlight Express as Control. Alastair Stout has been cast as Ron Weasley, rounding off the iconic young trio. Like Rupert Grint before him, Alastair is a true newcomer – thus far, he's only had a fleeting appearance in a Jersey Royal potato advert. Fans will be looking forward to seeing him bring the same cheeky charm to Ron as his predecessor, while putting his own stamp on the character. Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead star Nick Frost has the unenviable task of stepping into the late Robbie Coltrane's enormous Hagrid-sized boots. He'll be playing the beloved Hogwarts groundskeeper – and later professor – in the film, and he's promised he was 'never going to try' and imitate the late actor. 'I'm going to try and do something, not 'different'' I think you have to be respectful to the subject matter, but within that, there's scope for minutia,' he told Collider. 'I always read Hagrid as he's like a lovely, lost, violent, funny, warm child. I think the beauty of being able to do a book a season means I get to explore that a lot more, and I can't wait.' Draco Malfoy will be getting a new look after young actor Lox Pratt was cast in the role as the Slytherin bully. The news comes just after Tom Felton, who played the character in the original films, announced his return to the Harry Potter fold. Despite speculation that he would be playing his character's father in the series, Tom confirmed that he would be reprising his own role – in the Broadway stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. 'Being a part of the Harry Potter films has been one of the greatest honours of my life,' he said in a statement. 'Joining this production will be a full-circle moment for me, because when I begin performances in Cursed Child this fall, I'll also be the exact age Draco is in the play.' Singer Johnny Flynn was announced as the new Lucius Malfoy, stepping into Jason Isaacs' very creepy shoes as the Malfoy patriarch. Viewers may recognise him from Holby City, Scrotall Recall (renamed Lovesick when it moved to Netflix from Channel 4), Operation Mincemeat, Emma, The Dig and Ripley on Netflix – playing Dickie Greenleaf opposite Andrew Scott. He is also a successful singer and songwriter, having released six studio albums. He also created the theme song for the comedy series The Detectorists. Katherine Parkinson, most known for her efforts as Jen in the IT Crowd, has been cast as Weasley matriarch Molly Weasley – previously played by Dame Julie Walters. She has been a staple of our screens for decades, thanks to stints in Doc Martin, Psychoville, In the Club, Here We Go and the Honourable Woman. Most recently, she popped up in acclaimed Disney+ series Rivals as Lizzie Vereker, alongside Danny Dyer, David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner and Victoria Smurfit. Petunia Dursley played a huge role in Harry's early years, with the youngster staying with his aunt and uncle in Privet Drive when the series began. After Fiona Shaw's scene-stealing efforts as his late mother's snooty sister, Bel Powley will be taking over the role in the adaptation. She previously appeared in Masters of the Air, and The Morning Show, as well as The Diary of a Teenage Girl on the big screen. Daniel Rigby is taking over from the late Richard Thomas Griffiths as Petunia's husband and equally nasty Vernon Dursley. His most recent roles include Tom Jones and Eric and Ernie – for which he was awarded a Bafta – while he is set to grace our screens in Amazon's Blade Runner 2099. Bertie Carvel was confirmed to be playing Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, replacing Robert Hardy who took on the character on the big screen. He is one of the most notable actors from the cast so far, having appeared in The Crown, Dalgliesh, Doctor Foster, Sherlock, Waking the Dead and Babylon. Bertie also narrates Walking with Dinosaurs. The Gryffindor house is being further fleshed out after Leo Earley was cast in the role of Seamus Finnigan. Leo appears to be another newcomer to the spotlight, with Devon Murray having the role in the original franchise. Alessia Leoni has stepped into Shefali Chowdhury's robes as fellow Gryffindor Parvati Patil. It is currently not clear who will play Parvati's identical twin sister, Padma, with Shefali's close friend Afshan Azad landing the role in the franchise. Sienna Moosah will be joining the gang in the Gryffindor common room after being cast as Lavender Brown. Jessie Cave, Jennifer Smith and Kathleen Cauley were the stars who had portrayed the character in the original franchise. David Bradley left a lasting impression as sneering and grumbling Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch. For the HBO series, Paul Whitehouse will be the one roaming the corridors with Mrs. Norris in hand. From The Fast Show and Gone Fishing to Alice in Wonderland, The Death of Stalin and Corpse Bride, he's already built an impressive legacy. Quirinus Quirrell only appears in the Philosopher's Stone, but he plays a vital role in the Harry Potter franchise. Getting the nervous and jittery Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher right is an important one, and Luke Thallon follows on from Ian Hart in taking on the role. It will mark his TV debut, although he's had plenty of experience on the West End in the likes of The Room, Family Voices and Patriots, while he reprise his role from the latter on Broadway. Rory Wilmot was most recently added to the cast as the infamous Neville Longbottom, played in the films by Matthew Lewis. The young Brit is understood to have answered the production's casting call. He already has a couple of credits under his belt, from one episode of FBI: International and in Out of the Dust, an upcoming TV show currently in post-production. Articulate Drama School & Agency, where Wilmot has trained in acting, shared a post on Facebook congratulating him. They wrote: 'Congratulations Rory! You're going to be a brilliant Neville Longbottom! So proud.' Amos Kitson has been cast as Harry's slightly horrid cousin Dudley – although fans will know he goes on to mellow in later books after a nasty encounter with the Dementors. This will be Kitson's first acting role. Anton Lesser has been cast as the wand-seller Garrick Ollivander, fresh off his run on the revered Star Wars show Andor. Considered by many to be the best wandmaker in the Wizarding World, Ollivander was played by the late great John Hurt in the original films. Lesser is also known for his roles in Game of Thrones and The Crown, as well as in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Louise Brealey will take on Quidditch flying professor Madam Rolanda Hooch. The role was first played by the spikey-haired, husky-voiced Zoë Wanamaker. Brealey is best known as Molly Hooper in Sherlock and has most recently starred in the Bafta-winning dark comedy Such Brave Girls. There are still so many key characters yet to be officially cast, with Lord Voldemort among them. There are a couple of names in the running, with reports suggesting Cillian Murphy could follow in Ralph Fiennes' footsteps, while Tom Hiddleston has also been linked. Warner Bros TV boss Channing Dungey told Deadline in April that they were 'still weighing a couple of different options' for the villain. Filming kicked off on July 14 at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, with the first season set to focus on the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. More Trending The series has been confirmed for a 2027 release window, which will mark 16 years since the final movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two was released in cinemas. The movie franchise spanned a decade from 2001 to 2011, with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as the three stars. View More » A version of this article was originally published on June 9. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Harry Potter star admits he's already considering leaving TV reboot after one season MORE: Jason Isaacs blasts 'racist' Harry Potter fans over Paapa Essiedu's Snape casting in TV series MORE: Harry Potter star admits he 'would have run a million miles' from TV reboot years ago
Daily Record
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Harry Potter film with 96% rating dubbed 'perfect as entire franchise ranked
The Harry Potter films are a mix of fantasy and adventure, and we've ranked all 10 of them from best to worst, according to their Rotten Tomatoes scores - so you can see how they stack up Author J.K. Rowling is in the spotlight once more for her controversial views on the trans community, this time drawing criticism from Stephen Fry – the voice behind all seven Harry Potter audiobooks – who has labelled her a "lost cause". Despite the controversy surrounding its creator, the Harry Potter film series has continued to fare well. And now all the movies, including the less-celebrated Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, have been ranked by Rotten Tomatoes, with some doing better than others. Topping the list as the most acclaimed adaptation is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hailed as a fitting adieu to the cherished magical realm by both critics and fans alike. At the opposite end of the spectrum sits the 2018 release, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which failed to win over many viewers, reports the Express. Below is the Rotten Tomatoes ranking of the Harry Potter films, from the highest to lowest rated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96% Helmed by director David Yates One critic perfectly captured the sentiment towards the final instalment, stating: "For a grand finale to a truly epic, good-natured franchise, this is a perfect goodbye that's very hard to beat." Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96% Directed by Alfonso Cuarón The third instalment in the Harry Potter film series garnered effusive accolades from reviewers, particularly lauding Cuarón's contribution: "Prisoner of Azkaban is a standout entry in the Harry Potter franchise - it establishes an effective tone under Alfonso Cuarón's stellar direction." Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 88% Directed by Mike Newell Describing the fourth film, a succinct Wall Street Journal critique exclaimed: "It's downright scary how good this movie is." Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 83% In the directorial hands of David Yates One reviewer's insight into the penultimate Harry Potter chapter spoke volumes: "The strangest thing about the new Harry Potter movie is not that it's unusually good, which it is, but that it unequivocally illustrates just how poorly we've been served by the previous five instalments in the franchise." Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 82% Helmed by Chris Columbus Columbus' second venture into the wizarding world was met with observations of progress: "Director Chris Columbus has pushed the envelope farther, made a sequel that is pacier and more swashbuckling. Yet it still feels cautious and reined-in." Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 80% The first foray with Chris Columbus at the helm. Critics were unanimously taken by Harry Potter's initial cinematic adventure, noting: "The quickest, zappiest two and a half hours of entertainment you'll ever see." Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) Rotten Tomatoes rating: 78% Directed by David Yates, the fifth instalment in the Potter series didn't quite live up to expectations, with one critic bluntly stating: "Brought me straight back to one of the most enduring of childhood feelings: boredom." Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) also saw Yates at the helm Rotten Tomatoes rating: 77% The seventh film received its fair share of criticism as one reviewer observed: "The trouble with Harry, as becomes clear from this seventh and penultimate installment, is not that we have lost the plot -- the film is as tangled and as corkscrewed as Bonham Carter's hair -- but that we are in danger of losing everything else." Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), another Yates-directed venture, struggled to impress, with a commentator noting: "The film strains considerably under the weight of all its plot lines-it's never fun to be the movie with the origin story." Rotten Tomatoes rating: 74% The subsequent Fantastic Beasts instalment, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022), directed by Yates too, faced similar critique. Rotten Tomatoes rating: 46% A disappointed reviewer remarked: "Even taken on its own merits, it's a case of a sequel too far. There's no getting away from the fact that, without Harry Potter, this (movie) doesn't seem to know where to go." Furthermore, the prior Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) had also seen Yates in the director's chair. With a disappointing 36% rating, The Crimes of Grindelwald sits at the bottom of the Harry Potter series, receiving a drubbing from both critics and cinema-goers alike. One reviewer described it as: "About as exciting as a trip to Hogwarts's most neglected lavatory." For those in the UK looking for a magical fix, the complete Harry Potter collection is now on Netflix, ready for streaming. Across the pond, US folks can find all the Harry Potter films up for rent on Amazon Prime Video.
Buzz Feed
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
All 8 "Harry Potter" Movies, Ranked
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Arguably the most relevant entry in the series, this is the identifier as the one where Harry, his friends, and the franchise as a whole, embrace the young adult audience. From the disturbing injuries of Arthur Weasley to the dramatic death of Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, the series does not look back after this point. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban The point where the series evolves from family entertainment to blockbuster, this entry finds Harry entering the teen years. As he grows over the movie, he finds that things aren't as simple or as clean-cut as he thought when he was younger. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone The one that started it all! Alongside the tropes of children's literature and the handmade quality of the old-school special effects, this also does an excellent job of setting up themes that continue to be important throughout the franchise. From the discovery of a greater world to the Hogwarts dynamics, to even the establishment of death as a theme, it is difficult to imagine a better beginning to the franchise. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 The epic conclusion to the decade-spanning, generation-defining franchise. This does not miss the mark. From everyone gathering together for the last time to fight off the common enemy, to Harry seeing things in a different way for the last time in regard to Snape, to the class clown Neville destroying the snake horcrux, all knots are tied and no loose ends as Harry takes his son to the train at Kings Cross as an adult. All is well. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Mostly the setup to the finale, this plays out as a weird bottle episode-esque blockbuster. Not to say that it's bad. The scene where Harry and Hermione dance together is a warm light amidst the darkness that has enveloped the series at this point. The Deathly Hallows are established through an animated sequence that is a bottle episode within the movie. Finally, the death of Dobby gives this movie the gut punch that it needs to get to the conclusion. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince The slow point of the later Harry Potter movies establishes the fact that even in times of crises, life goes on. Love goes on. Milestones happen. Even amidst all this, incidents from the outside world seep through the bubble of Hogwarts. All of it culminating in the death of the beloved headmaster, Dumbledore. Getting rid of Harry's protector establishes to Harry and the audience that he is now on his own. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Teenage years are awkward. Perhaps someone should have warned Harry before he grew out his hair like that? This is probably the awkward high school movie of the franchise, where Harry has to dance with a girl for the first time and learn to swim. This is a fantasy John Hughes movie if someone had died in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets The tricky second album of the franchise treads on a lot of the same territory as the first movie. However, it's not without its charms. Lockhart is a very entertaining character, and we are introduced to the best house elf, Dobby. Even with its flaws, it's still quite fun. Editor's Note: BuzzFeed does not support discriminatory or hateful speech in any form. We stand by the LGBTQ+ community and all fans who found a home in the Harry Potter series and will work to provide a safe space for fans. If you, like us, feel impassioned about trans rights, learn more or donate here.
Sky News AU
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Not attuned': Harry Potter star Tom Felton ignites social media war after responding to author J.K. Rowling's anti-trans views
Tom Felton has divided social media after he praised author J.K. Rowling amid her controversial views on transgender issues. The Harry Potter star was asked by Variety if Rowling's views impacted him at all on the red carpet at the Tony Awards in New York on Monday. Felton, who played the villain Draco Malfoy in the world-famous films from 2001 through 2011, said "no" as he was not 'attuned' to the conversation. "I can't say it does," the 37-year-old British actor said. "I'm not really that attuned to it; the only thing I always remind myself is that I've been lucky enough to travel the world; here I am in New York. "I have not seen anything bring the world together more than Potter, and she's responsible for that, so I'm incredibly grateful." Felton's comments sparked a mixed reaction on X, with some fans lashing out at the star for his disregard. ''I'm not really that attuned to it', in other words, 'They don't affect me, so I can't bring myself to care'," one person said. "I course, they don't impact him. He's not the target of her scorn," another person said. However, other people praised Felton for his views, arguing the Harry Potter stars shouldn't bite the hand which fed them. "What an upstanding gentleman," said one fan. "Fair play, Tom, for showing strength of character and loyalty in acknowledgment of someone who opened a lot of doors for you." Another person said it was "amazing" that Felton played one of the "meanest characters" but was "one of the nicest people in real life." Felton's support for Rowling comes as he continues to capitalise on his fame after the success of the films. It was recently announced he will reprise his role as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child takes place 19 years after the series' final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, parents Draco and Harry, Ron and Hermione, are waving their children off on Platform 9¾ before school starts again at Hogwarts. Felton's Broadway run will last from November 11 through March 22, 2026, and marks the first time an original Harry Potter star joins the production. His comments stand in stark contrast to the views of the three main original stars—Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. All three stars have criticised Rowling's anti-trans views in separate statements where they expressed solidarity with the trans community. The author, 59, responded by saying she would not forgive the trio, who she told to "save their apologies" for 'traumatised de transitioners'. Despite Rowling and her leading actors being torn apart over the years, the Harry Potter franchise remains strong despite her contentious views. A HBO adaptation of her seven-volume fantasy series is currently in production as a long-form TV show. Dominic McLaughlin has been cast for the titular role of Harry Potter, with Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermoine Granger. Last November, HBO chief Casey Bloys said Rowling's views have not "affected the casting or hiring of writers or productions staff'. A spokesperson for the network added the author "has a right to express her personal views" and the new series will "only benefit from her involvement." Rowling recently celebrated the ruling that only biological women meet the definition of a woman under equality laws in a landmark case. She has previously mocked the phrase "people who menstruate", said women's rights and "lived reality" would be "erased" if "sex isn't real", and called a list of trans women "men, every last one of them".
