‘Harry Potter’ Reboot Officially Brings Back 7 Professors From the Original Movies

Hogwarts simply wouldn’t feel like Hogwarts without its professors.

As HBO prepares to introduce a new generation to Harry Potter, the upcoming television adaptation is bringing back several teachers audiences will immediately recognize from the original movies.

Seven Hogwarts professors are confirmed to appear in the reboot, covering everyone from the school’s headmaster to the professors responsible for Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, flying lessons, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Most will be played by completely different actors.

But HBO has also made one casting decision that directly connects its new series to the original film franchise.

HBO Is Filling Hogwarts With Familiar Characters

HBO’s adaptation will return to the beginning of Harry Potter’s journey rather than continuing where the movies ended.

That means recreating the Wizarding World Harry encounters after learning that he’s a wizard.

Hogwarts is naturally at the center of that world.

While Harry, Ron, and Hermione drive the larger story, their professors shape much of their experience at the school. Some become mentors. Others become enemies. A few aren’t quite what they initially appear to be.

HBO has now assembled seven of the most recognizable members of that faculty.

Albus Dumbledore Returns as Hogwarts Headmaster

John Lithgow will portray Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore serves as Hogwarts’ headmaster and gradually becomes one of the most influential figures in Harry’s life.

Richard Harris originated the role in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), returning for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).

Michael Gambon later took over the character and remained Dumbledore through the rest of Harry’s original movie journey.

Lithgow will now offer another interpretation as HBO begins the story again.

McGonagall and Snape Get New Faces

Two professors closely connected to the original actors playing them are also returning.

Janet McTeer will portray Professor Minerva McGonagall.

McGonagall serves as Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor House, and Hogwarts’ Transfiguration professor. Maggie Smith portrayed her throughout all eight original movies.

Then there’s Severus Snape.

Paapa Essiedu is taking over the role previously played by Alan Rickman.

Snape serves as Hogwarts’ Potions professor and Head of Slytherin House when Harry arrives at the school. His difficult relationship with Harry becomes one of the central threads running throughout the larger story.

Both McTeer and Essiedu face the challenge of following performances that became synonymous with the franchise.

Quirinus Quirrell Returns for Harry’s First Year

HBO will also revisit one of Harry’s earliest teachers.

Luke Thallon is playing Professor Quirinus Quirrell, Hogwarts’ Defense Against the Dark Arts professor during Harry’s first year.

Ian Hart portrayed Quirrell in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001).

Quirrell initially appears nervous and relatively harmless. As Harry investigates what’s happening inside Hogwarts, however, the professor becomes far more important to the story.

Bringing him back is another sign that HBO intends to rebuild Harry’s earliest Hogwarts adventures for television.

Madam Hooch Is Back for Flying Lessons

Louise Brealey will play Madam Rolanda Hooch.

The Hogwarts flying instructor introduces Harry and his classmates to broomsticks, eventually helping set the stage for Harry’s unexpected path onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Zoë Wanamaker played Hooch in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001).

Her role wasn’t particularly large in the original movie series, making her exactly the type of supporting character who could potentially benefit from HBO having additional storytelling time.

Professor Sprout Returns to the Greenhouses

Sirine Saba will become HBO’s Professor Pomona Sprout.

Sprout teaches Herbology and serves as Head of Hufflepuff House.

Miriam Margolyes originally played the professor, making her first appearance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).

While Sprout never received the same amount of screen time as Dumbledore, McGonagall, or Snape, she remains a recognizable part of Hogwarts’ faculty.

Saba will now inherit the role for the television adaptation.

One Original Professor Isn’t Being Recast

The seventh professor comes with a major surprise.

Warwick Davis will return as Professor Filius Flitwick.

Davis played Hogwarts’ Charms professor in the original movies, making his return different from the other confirmed professors. Instead of introducing a new actor, HBO is retaining someone who already inhabited the role.

Flitwick teaches some of Harry and his classmates’ earliest spells and also serves as Head of Ravenclaw House.

Davis’ involvement creates a rare piece of continuity between two otherwise separate adaptations.

HBO Has a Chance to Expand Hogwarts

The original movies had an enormous amount of material to squeeze into theatrical runtimes.

That inevitably meant certain classes, conversations, professors, and smaller Hogwarts moments disappeared or received less attention.

HBO doesn’t face exactly the same limitation.

If the series takes its time with each book, characters such as Hooch, Sprout, and Flitwick could receive more room alongside major figures such as Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape.

That doesn’t mean replacing actors associated with these roles will be easy.

For longtime viewers, seeing someone other than Maggie Smith as McGonagall or Alan Rickman as Snape will require an adjustment. The new performers will need to make the characters their own while remaining recognizable to readers.

HBO now has seven major pieces of its Hogwarts faculty in place.

Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Quirrell, Hooch, Flitwick, and Sprout are officially returning to the Wizarding World.

And while almost everyone will have a new face, Warwick Davis will provide at least one familiar connection when audiences head back to Hogwarts.