Mark Rylance is at the top of the list of desired actors for the new HBO adaptation of "Harry Potter", Variety has learned from sources close to the project. He is rumored to be in the running for the role of Dumbledore.
Warner Bros. Television has yet to begin negotiations with the actor, but the studio has reportedly contacted Rylance to gauge his interest and availability.
"We are aware that a series of this profile will attract a lot of rumors and speculations. During pre-production, we will confirm only those details for which we are finalizing the contracts", said a representative of HBO for Varajeti.
While the main roles in the series - Harry, Hermione and Ron - are likely to be given to younger, talented actors, it is no surprise that Warner Bros wants to bring together the best British actors for the adult characters, as was the case in the original film adaptations. They starred, among others, Richard Harris as Dumbledore, Maggie Smith as McGonagall and Alan Rickman as Snape.
One of the challenges will be finding actors who are willing to commit to a potential seven seasons, each based on one book, and who are of the right age to see it through to the end. Harris was 70 years old when he accepted the role of Dumbledore and died two years later, after completing only the first two films. He was replaced by Michael Gambon for the rest of the series.
Rylance is 64 years old, a year younger than Maggie Smith when she started making movies. Rylance won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2016 for his role in Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies. His other film credits include "Dunkirk," "The Trial of the Chicago Seven" and "Don't Look Up."
The head of Warner Bros. TV's Channing Dungy said earlier this year that the HBO series, originally slated for 2023, will be "much deeper than a two-hour movie can, which is why we embarked on this adventure." The premiere of the series was announced for 2026.
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