The HBO TV series adaptation of Harry Potter has cast its McGonagall and Snape.

      Warner Bros.

      HBO's Harry Potter series is close to finalizing the cast for two key roles. According to Deadline, Janet McTeer is currently negotiating to portray Professor Minerva McGonagall, while Paapa Essiedu is nearing an agreement to take on the role of Professor Severus Snape. They will join John Lithgow, who is set to play Professor Albus Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall serves as the deputy headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and leads Gryffindor House. The late Maggie Smith played this role in the original film series, and Fiona Glascott depicted a younger version in the Fantastic Beasts films.

      Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master and head of Slytherin House, was famously portrayed by Alan Rickman in the film series. McTeer, an accomplished actress nominated for both an Oscar and an Emmy, most recently appeared in Kaos, The Old Man, and The Menu. She is also noted for her stage work, having won an Olivier and Tony for her role in 1997's A Doll's House. Essiedu's recent works include Black Doves, The Outrun, and The Lazarus Project, with his association with the Snape character first reported by The Hollywood Reporter in December.

      Casting is also ongoing for the three child roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, with Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein reportedly in consideration to play Hagrid. The Harry Potter series will be a significant undertaking for HBO and Warner Bros., expected to span over a decade. Initially planned to adapt one book per season, some books may receive multiple seasons if the series continues for ten years. Francesca Gardiner is the showrunner and executive producer, while Mark Mylod will serve as executive producer and direct several episodes, having previously worked on HBO's Emmy-winning series Succession. Filming is anticipated to commence this summer at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in England, with season 1 expected to premiere in late 2026 or early 2027.

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      DC’s Clayface has found a director in James Watkins, known for Speak No Evil. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Watkins has been chosen to direct Clayface for DC Studios. DC co-CEO James Gunn recently met with Watkins, and discussions regarding a deal are currently underway. Watkins directed Speak No Evil, a remake of the 2022 Danish psychological thriller, which earned $76 million worldwide on a budget of $15 million.

      Clayface received the green light in December, with Mike Flanagan writing the screenplay. Flanagan, a noted horror creator who directed The Life of Chuck, was unable to direct Clayface due to his commitments to a TV adaptation of Carrie and a new Exorcist film. Clayface is a shape-shifting villain known as a primary adversary of Batman, although the film is likely to focus on horror elements rather than interactions with Batman. According to THR, Clayface will be a "Hollywood horror tale centering on a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to maintain relevance, only to discover he can morph his face and form, becoming a living piece of clay." The film's budget is speculated to be around $40 million.

      Casting details have not yet been disclosed. Gunn and his co-CEO Peter Safran previously indicated that voice actors from DC animation would also portray their characters in live-action, for instance, Frank Grillo, who voiced Rick Flag Sr. in animated content, will appear as the live-action Flag in Superman and Peacemaker season 2. Alan Tudyk currently voices Clayface in two animated series: Creature Commandos and Harley Quinn. Filming for Clayface is reportedly set to begin later this year, with Gunn and Safran producing alongside Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris from The Batman.

      Marvel is pausing the development of three television series. According to Deadline, the projects Nova, Strange Academy, and Terror, Inc. have been put on hold by Marvel Television. These series were never officially greenlit, and the studio has shifted its priorities for the time being. However, these three shows are not canceled and may be revisited in the future.

      Marvel continues to adjust its strategy in the wake of the recent strikes in Hollywood. Many projects are still in the pipeline with showrunners assigned, but not all developed projects will move forward. Disney CEO Bob Iger announced a quality-over-quantity strategy for Marvel during a May 2024 earnings call, stating, "We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three," as reported by Variety.

      Christopher Nolan has unveiled his Odysse