Harry Potter’s OTHER New Snape Actor Is a Very Good Sign for the Remake

The Harry Potter fanbase is in for a rude awakening. HBO Max is working hard on a TV adaptation of the popular book series, and only one actor from the films is returning to reprise their role. A new performer is stepping up to take on every other part, including John Lithgow, who will tackle the latest live-action iteration of Albus Dumbledore. Nabbing a veteran actor like Lithgow, who has been working in the entertainment industry for over five decades and earned his fair share of accolades, brings instant credibility to a project that’s going to need it, given how many people think it’s nothing but a cash grab. However, HBO Max is taking some risks as well.

Paapa Essiedu, best known for his theater work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, is gearing up to play Severus Snape in the Harry Potter show. Snape is obviously one of the key roles in the entire series, and Alan Rickman gives such an impressive performance in Warner Bros.’ franchise that it’s going to be tough to fill his shoes. But Essiedu deserves the chance to show what he’s got, and one person is working hard to ensure that everyone has their head on straight when he does.

Harry Potter‘s Newest Snape Actor Is Knocking It Out of the Park

Despite the TV show already being in the works, the Howarts Express doesn’t stop for anything, as its goal is to milk the property for all it’s worth. The latest venture is an audiobook series called Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions, which features big names reading all the books, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Matthew Macfadyen and Hugh Laurie star as Voldemort and Dumbledore, respectively, and Arabella Stanton, who will appear in the TV series as Hermione, has the same role in the audiobooks. The most interesting name on the list, though, is Riz Ahmed as Snape.

Ahmed is a veteran of both the big and small screens, appearing in major motion pictures like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and critically acclaimed TV shows, such as The Night Of. While his voice isn’t the first thing people point to when singing the actor’s praises, he’s proving he has a future in VA with his Snape performance. Throughout the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone audiobook, Ahmed maintains his composure as the professor, in stark contrast to Rickman’s portrayal in the first movie. His choice sets the stage for a drastic shift down the line when Snape’s double life begins to reveal itself. Now, there’s no way to know whether Essiedu will go down the same route, but even if he doesn’t, the path to success is becoming clearer for the Harry Potter reboot.

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The concern with adapting the Harry Potter books for a second time is that the remake won’t bring anything new to the table. After all, while there are plenty of characters and stories left on the cutting room floor in the movies, they still hit all the major themes and stick the landing. But based on Ahmed’s performance and other information, it’s starting to feel like the Wizarding World is undergoing serious changes. The Marvel Cinematic Universe might be a strong comparison because it uses the comic books as tools, but not as a blueprint. HBO Max could be taking a similar approach and taking creative liberties where it feels necessary, including with Snape’s character.

That’s not to say Snape will reveal himself as a Death Eater in Season 1 or die before Season 7. However, his journey could be vastly different than the one his big-screen counterpart goes on. That way, there’s no reason to compare Essiedu’s performance to Rickman’s because they’re two different interpretations of the same character. That might be a tough pill to swallow for diehards who want to see every word of The Sorcerer’s Stone come to life, but it’s going to be better in the long run, as fans will have multiple distinct adaptations to dive into when they’re feeling like traveling to a magical world.

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