August Grab Bag of Mystery: Dream Casting Harry Potter

James & Lily were 21 when they were killed.

See I want Hugh Boneville for Fudge. I think he could tap into that two-faced nature.

Dan Stevens as Gilderoy Lockhart

Omg Nick Frost is actually cast now as Hagrid! Crazy! No Snape dream cast? 😭

Poor Kitt Harrington passed over for Potter again 😞

Dark horse pick for Lupin here: Thomas Brodie-Sangster. I KNOW, I KNOW, he’s still the kid from Nanny McPhee and Love, Actually for a lot of people, but by the time they’d be casting Lupin, he’d be over 40. Check out pictures of him with facial hair, add some scars and I think he’s got the look down. Plus I feel like he nicely treads the line between cool young teacher and proper British gentleman enough to differentiate him from Sirius. If not, Andrew Garfield works.

Michelle Gomez as McGonagall!!!

Nick Frost is my choice for Hagrid too!!! Simon Pegg as Dumbledore is wild tho😭 I want Simon Pegg as Peeves and Peter Capaldi as Dumbledore!!

Love this!!! I’ve been rereading the books with the new series in mind, outlining how I think they should divide up the episodes and making notes on casting. I actually really love Brett Goldstein as Sirius, which is funny because I’d considered him as Snape, but I honestly think I might like this more! I’ve just been dream casting as many Ted Lasso and Doctor Who actors as I can😂 (Nick Mohammed as Peter Pettigrew, anyone?)

Mad Mikelson would play such an amazing Lucius Malfoy tho...

Oh, and for Peter Pettigrew, Toby Jones would be BANG ON. Just awesomeness.

For Sirius, I think the best option would be Andrew Garfield. Sirius becomes cynical and miserable only in Azkaban, but is otherwise portrayed as a handsome, loveable goof who has an amazing dynamic with James. Andrew Garfield is exactly that. BINGO.

Toby Stephens would make a good Sirius as well - definitely pulls off the rage/paternal combination. And he’s Maggie Smith’s son to boot

waw Megan is really talented at this game. I love the choices she made. Adam Driver as Snape and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are my favorite. I would add Oscar Isaac as Sirius Black.

The funniest thing about these dream castings are Allan's reactions.

Very good casting! Can we somehow make room for Idris Elba? And somehow I’m feeling Noel Fielding as Filch, but I think that might just be because you mentioned the IT Crowd 😂 He’d probably have more fun as Peeves though.

Not HP, but dream casting related: My perfect Pride and Prejudice (2005) dream casting for Mr Bennet (originally played by Donald Sutherland) is none other than our dear Alan Seawright. I think it’s because of my favourite scene from the movie at the end when he gives his blessing to Elizabeth and Darcy and cries happy tears. 🥲❤️

Where is David Tennant is all this? He would be great as Voldemort.

Yay, Megan! More Megan. More David. Maybe a grab bag of mystery with Megan AND David. 🤯 I now realize how greedy this sounds. 😄😁

Douglas Hodge as Aberforth Dumbledore 😭

David at the end. xD Got me good. I started giggling. I agree with Megan’s choices. 💙💙

Taylor Swift as Rita Skeeter haha 😜

Coming back to say that Robert Carlisle would make an astonishing Olivander!

So many of us agree to Adam Driver as Snape. At this point, if they don’t cast him, it’ll feel deliberate. 😂

Hear me out: Aubrey Plaza for Umbridge. Umbridge is like mid thirties in the books, and Plaza is 40. While it is pretty far from her normal typecast, I think she would have a ton of fun in the role, as well as add depth to the very realistic threat that Umbridge imposes on the children.

In response to more actors of color, is there a role for Chiwetel Ejiofor? I love him! Also Thandiwe Newton, Guru Mbatha Raw or Henry Golding? I do like your picks though.

I feel we are missing an opportunity with Lupin, and I humbly nominate Nicholas Hoult. He could be bumbling and awkward, but with those shimmery, wolfy eyes. Plus, more of a charismatic pull between him and Florence Pugh as Tonks. Matt Smith as Voldemort, because we know he can pull off a terrifying megalomaniac. Michael Sheen for Cornelius Fudge. Also, MORE. PEOPLE. OF. COLOR. PLEASE!! Perhaps Sophie Okonedo as Professor McGonagall, or Madam Hooch. Ncuti Gatwa as Sirius Black, for that warmth & mischievous spirit. Richard Ayoade for Professor Quirrell.

I'd really like Charles Dance either as Voldemort or as Dumbledore. He's obviously great at evil manipulators (and he might have a bit less maniac and more manipulative approach to voldemort in later books) but I'd also really like him once as really kind character, it could either be really bad or it could be absolutely briliant to have him play Dumbledore. Even Tywin and Vetinari had some pretty good guy moments though they were still bit edgy for Dumbledore. Also what about Cumberbatch as voldemort? Hidleston should also get some role. Capaldi could be cool Dumbledore. Rowan Atkinson as Peeves. Maybe Jude Law could play even old Dumbledore he was great as young version. Ben Kingsley would be great Dumbledore. Or Patrick Stewart he would have hair for once :D Stephen Fry would be also great Dumbledore if he was a bit thinner, but maybe some digital help?

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as Dumbledore and Hagrid? Yes please!

Someone should AI generate the images of all the casting and share.

I love these dream casting videos!! And the last one got me to read Mistborn - loved it!!!

I squealed with glee with your pick for Dumbledore and Hagrid! Also, Stephen Fry as Kreature?

Given that JK Rowling has stated multiple times that she believes that people continuing to support her work means that they also support her transphobic ideals, I prefer not to have conversations about Harry Potter, no matter how much the books meant to me in the past.

Okay but we GOTTA have Stephen Fry in there somewhere.

Honestly, for as good of a performance as he would put in, I wasn’t convinced on the look of James McAvoy as Lucius until I imagined him playing Lucius opposite of Michael Fassbender playing Voldemort. As soon as that was in my head, I was completely on board.

Sally Hawkins is definitely a good call for Trelawney, but I can’t help but think that Maya Hawk would be awesome - if only she were older.

Such a great dream cast. Hope some executives are watching.

James McAvoy playing Voldemort would be delightfully ironic given his role as a young Professor X.

I love Ben Wishaw, he is so darn good. I could truly see him as either Sirius or Snape actually (since Driver is american :P)

That was perfect. I would love to have Tom Hiddleston as Remus though.

If Ms. Rowling were ok with genderswapping a character or two, Freddie Highmore would be stunning as Trelawney.

Rhys Ifans could do Pettigrew!

Please do more of these dream cast videos!

Oh my!, My lovely wife Meghan?! 🤯😱✨

Some of my ideas: Gwendolyn Christy as Madame Maxime. I agree with others, Ben Barnes as Sirius. Benedict Cumberbatch as Lupin. Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes/Carson from Downton Abbey) as Madam Pomfrey. Jamie Campbell Bower as either Lupin, Quirrell or Lucius Malfoy. Jack Whitehall as Quirrell. Ewan McGregor as Sir Cadogan. Chewitel Ejiofor as Firenze. Noel Fielding as the Knight Bus driver.

Some solid picks, although not all British! My other pick instead of Cate Blanchet is Tilda Swinton (although I think she turned HP down when making the films because she hated bording school). And for Kingsley Shuttlecomb (I think that's his name) I would put the current Doctor from Doctor Who. And for McGonigal I would have Karen Gillian.

That was soooooo good! Can't wait to watch that!!!

these ideas were so fun omg love them (especially sally hawkins like she's always a win to me). it would be interesting to consider casting actors of colour in some of these roles, considering there are so many talented British poc actors to choose from - dev patel comes to mind (a lot of people see him as james potter but i think he could pull off 3/4 of the marauders tbh)

For real, I can't wait to watch this

Oh boy... I'll come back and edit this comment after watching, but this is gonna be interesting 🤣. Edit - It's long and full of spoilers, so I'm going to reply to my own comment instead. TL;DR: My actual dream casting would be Jono as Lockhart, Alan as Snape, Megan as McGonagall, and David as literally every other character. Let's make it happen 🤣.