HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter web series is set to introduce a new spin in the magical world. On Monday,  the network revealed the cast playing iconic characters.

Die-hard Harry Potter fans have long associated Alan Rickman with the role of Severus Snape. Now, Paapa Essiedu has been given the responsibility to bring back the iconic character in the series adaptation of Harry Potter. The news has sparked widespread discussion on social media, with fans wondering why the casting choice has deviated from traditional character depiction. Also read: Harry Potter series casting officially confirmed: Know who plays Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid, McGonagall and others

Paapa Essiedu will play the role of Hogwarts teacher, who was previously played by the late Alan Rickman in the film series adapted from J.K. Rowling’s famous novels.

Fans divided over Paapa Essiedu’s casting

The casting news has ignited a heated debate on social media, with some users expressing strong disagreement over a Black actor being cast as Severus Snape. However, some fans are looking forward to the new spin on the story.

“HBO just officially killed their show in the womb. Snape is white in the books, so he should be white in the show, This is just DEI nonsense, Now imagine what will look like when white James Potter bullies black Severus Snape… Great way to push a racism, victim agenda,” one social media user wrote on X.

Another shared, “This is the worst race swap in the modern history of race swaps. Of course racism will be a focal point in Snape’s backstory now, since he will bullied mercilessly by James Potter and his friends. HBO has officially divided the fandom before filming has even begun all for the sake of DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion].”

One fan took to Reddit and wrote, “I’m not against race swapping a character but Snape is such a bad candidate. The books describe his appearance so vividly”, with another writing, “I do wonder if they’re casting a black actor as Snape just because the producers want to rock the boat intentionally or if Essiedu’s audition was genuinely the best out of everyone who tried out for the part. I’m sure that there were multiple rounds of auditions for something this high profile, and a lot of competition. I wish him the best, and hope he does a good job”.

There was fan who shared, “I am truly sorry but I cannot get behind Paapa Essiedu playing Snape. I think I will have to pass on this tv series”.

Another user shared, “If I were Paapa Essiedu, I wouldn’t even audition for Snape. Fan or not, he should know some roles aren’t meant for everyone—no white actor would ever go for T’Challa, and it’s the same energy”.

Meanwhile, some fans are eager to watch the twist. One social media user wrote, “This is the ONLY way to give a new life to this character! Alan Rickman DEVOURED this role! Anybody’s casting would draw comparisons… at least now, Paapa Essiedu can add a layer of dimension and nuance to Snape being an outcast & not chosen by Lilly! Racism add a layer of anger”, with another mentioning, “Absolutely captivating casting choices. Paapa Essiedu’s Snape feels both heartbreakingly vulnerable and terrifyingly complex – a revelation”.

“Paapa Essiedu is going to shock the world with how well he portrays Snape. Already calling it,” fan said.

All about the Harry Potter series casting

A whole new generation of children is about to be introduced to the world of Harry Potter with the web series planned by HBO. According to a Variety report, HBO officially announced the actors who would play beloved characters like Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Minerva, McGonagall, Rubeus Hagrid, and others on Monday.

The report confirms some cast members that fans had guessed, apart from including some surprises. John Lithgow of The Crown-fame will play Dumbledore, Janet McTeer of Tumbleweeds-fame has been cast as McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu of Gangs of London-fame is Snape, and Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead-fame plays Hagrid. It was previously reported that these actors were in talks for the show. Now, the surprise additions to the cast include Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

These are the first confirmed actors for the highly anticipated web series. HBO launched an open casting call, which received over 30,000 submissions to cast the main roles of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermoine Granger. Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television are also on board. The studio also described the show as a ‘faithful adaptation’ of JK Rowling’s hit book series. The official description reads, “Exploring every corner of the wizarding world, each season will bring ‘Harry Potter’ and its incredible adventures to new and existing audiences.”