On September 1, 2025, HBO confirmed that Warwick Davis will return as Professor Filius Flitwick in its upcoming Harry Potter television series for Max, while additional casting has been set for student roles including Dean Thomas, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle. Specific actor names for the newly cast students were not disclosed at the time of the announcement.
Key Takeaways
- Warwick Davis will reprise Professor Filius Flitwick in HBO’s Harry Potter series for Max.
- Casting for Dean Thomas, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle has been confirmed, with actor names not yet revealed.
- The series is a multi-season adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s seven novels, previously targeted to debut on Max as early as 2026.
- Francesca Gardiner has been announced as showrunner, with Mark Mylod attached to direct early episodes and executive produce.
- Davis portrayed Flitwick in the original Warner Bros. films and also played the goblin Griphook.
- HBO/Max has long signaled an all-new cast for the core student ensemble.
- Further roles and production scheduling remain in active development.
Verified Facts
HBO’s announcement confirms that Warwick Davis will once again play Professor Filius Flitwick, the Charms master and Head of Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts. Davis, a veteran of the original film franchise, first portrayed the character in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and across subsequent entries.
In the same update, HBO confirmed that casting decisions have been made for three student characters—Dean Thomas, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle—though the network did not disclose the actors attached to those roles. The announcement did not indicate whether additional Hogwarts students were cast as part of the same round.
The television adaptation is being developed as a faithful, multi-season retelling of the seven Harry Potter novels for Max. Previously, Warner Bros. Discovery indicated a plan to launch the series around 2026, subject to production timelines.
The creative team has been taking shape. Francesca Gardiner has been named showrunner and executive producer, with Mark Mylod expected to direct early episodes and also executive produce, reflecting HBO’s premium drama approach to the franchise.
| Role | Status | Actor |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Filius Flitwick | Confirmed | Warwick Davis |
| Dean Thomas | Cast | TBA |
| Vincent Crabbe | Cast | TBA |
| Gregory Goyle | Cast | TBA |
Context & Impact
Davis’s return offers audiences a connective thread to the widely seen film adaptations while the rest of the student ensemble is reimagined for a serialized format. Flitwick’s prominence in classroom and competition sequences (notably Charms and dueling) makes the role an anchor for early-year storylines.
Strategically, HBO and Max are positioning Harry Potter as a flagship tentpole designed to drive long-term subscriber engagement. A novel-per-season cadence enables deeper character development than the films, potentially reshaping fan expectations for secondary characters such as Dean Thomas, Crabbe, and Goyle.
The casting progress also signals that pre-production is accelerating toward a formal production start. With a large ensemble and extensive VFX planning, early commitments to key faculty and student roles help lock tone, scheduling, and training requirements.
- Franchise continuity: A returning performer can stabilize tone amid a largely new cast.
- Serial storytelling: More screen time for classroom arcs and House dynamics.
- Market positioning: A global family fantasy tentpole for Max’s slate.
Official Statements
HBO confirmed Warwick Davis’s return as Professor Flitwick and announced that the roles of Dean Thomas, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle have been cast, with further details to be shared at a later date.
HBO/Max announcement
Unconfirmed
- The identities of the actors cast as Dean Thomas, Crabbe, and Goyle have not been publicly disclosed.
- Exact production start date, filming locations, and episode count remain unspecified.
- Whether Davis will portray any additional characters beyond Flitwick has not been announced.
- A firm premiere date beyond the previously indicated 2026 window is unconfirmed.
Bottom Line
HBO’s Harry Potter series has taken a visible step forward by bringing back Warwick Davis as Flitwick and locking in key student roles. With showrunning and directing leadership in place and casting advancing, the project appears to be moving steadily toward production, positioning the Wizarding World as a major pillar of Max’s upcoming slate.