This week it was revealed that HBO has reportedly offered the role of Severus Snape in its upcoming TV series — which has previously been pitched as a”faithful” adaptation of the J.K. Rowling book series — to actor Paapa Essiedu. This news has divided Harry Potter fans and the Internet at large as a complete left field casting. Not only is Paapa Essiedu not similar to how the character is described in the book series, but he looks nothing like Alan Rickman, the late, great actor synonymous with Professor Snape for his masterful portrayal of the character in the movie series.
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Those responsible for the casting of the series are evidently not playing it safe. Whether this will work out or work against the show remains to be seen, but in the meantime many Harry Potter fans have united to reveal who they would love to see play the role, though it is a pipe dream.
The day the Snape casting broke the most popular post on the Harry Potter Reddit page was a post asking about Adam Driver as Snape instead of Paapa Essiedu. Meanwhile, one of the most viral posts on X the same day was a post from the popular Harry Potter page, Harry Potter Universe, that suggested Driver would be their pick for the character.
Of course, Driver would be a great casting for numerous reasons. For one, he looks the part. Not only does he match the description and illustrations we’ve seen of the character, but he would be similar to the iconic Rickman portrayal. He is also similar to the age of the character in the books, though a little bit older. And of course, he is a very talented and a well known actor.
It would be a great casting, but likely an unrealistic one. For one, it would be a huge, lengthy commitment, one that Driver probably wouldn’t be keen to make, especially since he is less and less involved with big mainstream productions. And two, HBO is probably not going to want to pay what it would take to get Driver on board. That said, none of this has stopped fans from dreaming.
All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think. Do you agree with these Harry Potter fans who would love to see Driver take a stab at the role? Do you think Paapa Essiedu is a good pick?
