In the realm of film and television blogs, there really isn’t a true competitor for the popular blog, Film School Rejects. Rejects features a wide variety of articles, videos and podcasts that cover a vast expanse of film / television genres. Whether you are a fan of Game of Thrones or Dirty Dancing, there will almost certainly be an article for you.

One of the biggest staples of Rejects is a section of the blog titled “One Perfect Shot.” The thing that makes this particular part of the blog stand out is the fact that it is a gallery of “one perfect shot” from just about every iconic film you can think of!

On the right hand side of the screen, you can see that there are options to look up the works of different directors and cinematographers. This is a really interesting feature, because if you needed to do some kind of research on the styles of different directors / cinematographers, this blog makes that a very easy thing for you to do!

Apart from unique pages such as One Perfect Shot, Film School Rejects is a beast of content for the film lover of any passion level. Whether you are more of a TV fan, a movie fan — or even if you just have an interest in film — this blog is the right fit for you, because there is truly something in it for everybody!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I don’t know what it is about this one, but it is my absolute favorite of all of the movies. I also know that I’m not alone in this, as several other people have claimed this one as their own personal favorite as well. Perhaps it is Alfonso Cuaron’s directorial presence that shifted the tonal balance of the series completely, or John Williams’ sudden heel-turn of a score. Whatever the case, the tone of this film is dark – much darker than the previous two – which is exactly what needed to happen at this point in the story.

This film is shrouded in uncertainty, mystery, angst and drama, and it gives off the same feeling that one might feel in the last quarter of an NFL game – the feeling that we are leading up to something big, we just aren’t sure what it is yet. That is the exact feeling viewers SHOULD have during this particular season in the series, and that is what I’m going to try and emulate with my casting choices below!

Cornelius Fudge: Giancarlo Esposito

Giancarlo Esposito is a lot like Ben Mendelsohn, whom I chose to play Lucius Malfoy. In every role I’ve seen him in, Esposito has an eerily calm demeanor while acting as some kind of enforcer or lawman. This is something that I personally feel the original performance of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was lacking.

The original portrayal of Fudge was almost cartoonish, which makes sense given that this is a story told from the perspective of a newly 13 year old boy; however, this is not the tone we’re going for with an HBO reboot. Throughout the rest of the series, Cornelius Fudge will slowly become an arch enemy of Professor Dumbledore and Harry, and I think that we need somebody wholly intimidating. As an actor, Giancarlo Esposito is a really interesting person to watch, and I would be very excited to see the kind of chilling edge he could bring to the character.

Professor Lupin: Richard Madden

Professor Lupin is one of the most important characters in the series, and he is also one of the most beloved characters as well. As the first real connection that Harry has with his parents, Richard Madden will have quite a job to undertake – but I think he is the perfect person for that job.

I gave this one a lot of thought and debated whether or not to actually put Sam Rockwell here, but in the end, I decided that I was allowed to be picky and choose actors who actually fit the ages of their characters. Professor Lupin was one of James Potter’s best friends growing up, and through his relationship with Harry, he is able to provide him with a window into his father’s life. At this point in the story, he is the same age as Professor Snape (Adam Driver in my previous casting list), so I thought it would only make sense to choose a great actor who is around Driver’s age.

Richard Madden is best known for his work on Game of Thrones (2011), The Bodyguard (2019), and Rocketman (2019). I’ve seen almost his entire filmography at this point, and with his dramatic talent and boyish charm, I think that Madden would be an excellent fit for Harry’s mentor this season.

Professor Trelawney: Gillian Anderson

Gillian Anderson recently came to my attention after watching Netflix’s original series, Sex Education (2019), because she has a voice that reminds me exactly of Professor Trelawney. As soon as I googled it and figured out that she wasn’t Emma Thompson, I thought she would be perfect to play Trelawney.

Outside of the voice aspect, which is surprisingly important for this role, Gillian Anderson has a unique ability to be effortlessly hilarious. And while Trelawney is definitely a comedic character, she is also quite important even though she doesn’t show up in the series very often. Over the course of the series, Professor Trelawney is revealed to have made prophecies in the past that have altered the course of events, as well as actually predicting a lot of crucial events that occur seasons down the road. Anderson is a talented actress, having worked in both comedy and drama, and I feel that she would be able to bring this smaller character into more prominence.

Sirius Black: Ben Barnes

You may know Ben Barnes as that guy who was abandoned in the desert naked in Westworld (2016), or you may even recognize him as the gallant Prince Caspian from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). I first came across Ben Barnes when I saw Westworld, and I was honestly captivated by him every time he was onscreen. Not just because he’s hot (but that definitely is a factor, I’m not going to lie), but because his acting pulled me into his character. Watch this scene from Westworld and tell me that this guy can’t act like a crazy person.

Though Sirius Black is fresh out of Azkaban and a little bit deranged in this particular installment of the series, in the following seasons Sirius becomes Harry’s new parental figure – and the most important person in his life. While Professor Lupin was a friend of Harry’s father, Sirius was truly James’ best friend in the world. Therefore, Ben Barnes would have to do a lot of emotional and heavy acting, which he is more than capable of.

Ben Barnes is also a relatively unknown actor, so I think he would be a refreshing and unpredictable choice for the role of Sirius.

Peter Pettigrew: Paul Dano

Paul Dano is best known for There Will Be Blood (2007), as well as Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and Swiss Army Man (2016). He has one of those faces that stick with you, and his performances stick with you just as effectively. Dano is one of the most emotional actors I’ve ever seen, and I think he would be perfect for the role of the spineless and deranged Peter Pettigrew.

Peter Pettigrew is the person who turned Harry’s parents in to Voldemort on the night that they were killed, betraying James Potter as well as Lupin and Sirius. On the night that all is revealed in the third season, Dano would be a really exciting person to see in this role. In the original portrayal, the viewer can see within seconds how insecure and cowardly Pettigrew is as a character. I think it’s important to have a convincing actor in that role because in Pettigrew’s one scene in this season, the audience is made to hate him immediately. Therefore, Paul Dano seems like an exciting choice to play the notorious coward who hid as a rat for 12 years.

Looking ahead: CASTING SEASON FOUR

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite installment in the Harry Potter series, however the series doesn’t become truly dark until the next one. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry comes face to face with Voldemort in the flesh in what becomes the cornerstone of the series. The fourth season’s casting will be exciting due to the scale of the story – with new characters from all over the world, dragons, mermaids and sphinxes!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

The second installment in the Harry Potter series brings our heroes into their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While I personally feel that this particular installment is the weakest one in the series – in both the books and the movies – I definitely feel that with my production/crew choices from my first post, this season could be a really strong one. The story is intense, the stakes are higher, and I feel confident that Taika Waititi (my choice of director) would be able to truly encapsulate those aspects of the story – while also remaining faithful to the tone of the previous season.

So with all of that being said, let’s cast HBO’s Harry Potter: Season Two!

Dobby: Dee Bradley Baker

Dobby is the first new character we will see onscreen in the new season. This casting choice was tough, due to the fact that he is a character who is entirely created from CGI. I had to consult my sister who is well versed in the world of voice actors, and she brought up Dee Bradley Baker and his ridiculous talent for creature/character voices.

As you can see from the image of Dee Bradley Baker above, he is surrounded by smaller pictures of the characters he has lent his voice to in the past. I believe that with his skill in being creative with animated / CGI characters, he could bring something totally new and original to Dobby — and he could even bring us to fall in love with the endearing house elf all over again.

Molly Weasley: Catherine Tate

Listen, I know there’s absolutely no way we can replace Julie Walters’ sweet, motherly and adorable portrayal of the matriarch of the Weasley clan.. but we will have to try! I think that Catherine Tate would be an excellent follow up to Walters’ performance throughout the original film series.

Catherine Tate is one of the funniest British comedians of the era, having guest starred on the American version (aka, the best version) of The Office, touring the world doing stand-up, and even starring in her own comedy show on BBC. I think that the one thing that was missing from Julie Walters’ original portrayal of Molly Weasley is the lighter/more comedic side of the character. I think that bringing on such a talented comedian to play Harry’s “surrogate mother” would bring a fresh, new perspective on the character we all know and love.

Another thing that Tate is excellent at is dramatic acting. I have always known her to be a comedic actress who makes me laugh every time I see her onscreen however, I have also seen her be able to carry quite dramatic roles. As an actress, Tate is fantastic – therefore, I feel that she has a HUGE skill set and fresh ideas to bring to Molly Weasley.

Arthur Weasley: Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell is one of those actors who makes my heart hurt every time I see him on the screen. With his impressive resume of awards and his astounding filmography, Rockwell is a phenomenal actor. So out of a long list of actors I could have chosen for the role of the patriarch of the Weasley clan, Arthur Weasley, why is it that I chose Rockwell? The reason is actually quite simple.

In several of his films, Rockwell plays a truly kind-hearted and fatherly figure to whomever the main character in each film is. He has a warmth about him that really envelops each of his characters, which brings a feeling of safety and security to the viewers as they share the perspective of the main character. For example, check out some of his work in films such as The Way, Way Back (2013) and Jojo Rabbit (2019).

Just like his wife Molly, Arthur Weasley is meant to serve as a “surrogate father” to Harry therefore, having an actor with such a warm and fatherly disposition is essential to the story. Sam Rockwell will be able to remain faithful to the original portrayal of Arthur Weasley by Mark Williams, however I believe that he will be able to leave a deeper emotional imprint on viewers – as that is probably his best skill as an actor.

Lucius Malfoy: Ben Mendelsohn

Lucius Malfoy is one of the “scary” adult characters in the series. As the father of Harry’s school bully, Draco Malfoy, Lucius is a cruel dark wizard who works directly under the main villain of the series, Voldemort. As one of Voldemort’s closest allies, Lucius Malfoy is a dangerous character due to his proximity to Harry, and Lucius as a character notoriously revels in the chance to intimidate and antagonize the boy every chance he has. Lucius makes his slimy, intimidating first appearance in this installment in the series.

Ben Mendelsohn is an Australian actor who is best known for his work on Bloodline (2015), Rogue One (2016), and Ready Player One (2018). In nearly all of his roles, Mendelsohn steals the show with his ability to induce fear and intimidation with his eerily calm demeanor. I think that the ability to portray Lucius Malfoy in this way is extremely important for setting the tone for his character early in the series.

No offense to Jason Isaacs (who originally portrayed the character in the film series), but in the original series, Lucius Malfoy is a somewhat forgettable character and he is honestly sort of a joke. This is a real shame because the original character in the book series is incredibly interesting. I think that with an actor as talented as Ben Mendelsohn in the role, Lucius Malfoy will actually be the character that J.K. Rowling herself originally wrote.

Gilderoy Lockhart: Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau

Gilderoy Lockhart… What to say about Gilderoy Lockhart? He is definitely one of the most memorable characters, for no reason other than the fact that he is incredibly narcissistic and – for lack of a better word – SEVERELY annoying. Lockhart is Harry’s new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who fraudulently became famous for “his” amazing achievements in the wizarding world, and he will not let anybody forget it.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau is a Danish actor who is best known for his role as Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones (2011). The second I saw him when I started that show, I was reminded of Gilderoy Lockhart. In Game of Thrones, Coster-Waldeau’s character goes through a huge amount of character development, however it’s the portrayal of where his character STARTS in that development process that makes this actor perfect. To be frank, Jaime Lannister from the beginning of Game of Thrones is the worst person ever: a blonde, long-haired narcissist, who has sex with his sister and pushes a ten year old boy out of a high window and paralyzes him for life.

So, Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau is definitely well versed in this sort of role, because Jaime Lannister from Game of Thrones is exactly like Lockhart — minus the whole incest plotline and the “attempting to murder a child” thing.

Tom Riddle: Timothée Chalamet

The number of actors who are my age (23) and have skyrocketed to global fame and infamy is miniscule, so my list of young and talented actors who could play such a small yet pivotal role in the series was very short. However, Timothée Chalamet would make a perfect “young Voldemort.”

At the end of this season of HBO’s Harry Potter remake, Harry finds himself entrapped by the ghostly version of Voldemort in what is called the Chamber of Secrets. Though this would be a short cameo role, I believe that Chalamet would bring a really interesting perspective to this character.

Timothée Chalamet is probably the best actor around my age, as of 2020. I’ve seen just about all of his movies and I have been so impressed with his ability to be a chameleon and disappear into his roles. When you watch him onscreen, you forget that you are watching Timothée Chalamet, and you are fully enveloped in his character. The original portrayal of Tom Riddle in the film series is… quite theatric and a little cheesy, but imagine putting Chalamet in this role instead.

One role of his that really stood out to me and made me choose him to play this role, is his portrayal of King Henry V in Netflix’s The King (2019). This scene in particular eerily reminded me of the character of Tom Riddle. The way Chalamet emphasizes his words and the way his facial features move is chilling, and I think that if he were given the material to read for Tom Riddle, he would prove to be a truly scary villain for the end of the season.

Looking ahead: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

This concludes my casting for the second season of HBO’s Harry Potter television reboot. I hope you all enjoyed reading and find my list interesting! I would definitely like to know who all of you would want to see play these roles, so let me know down in the comments below!

In my next post, we will continue this series with casting the third installment (and my personal favorite) of this hypothetical television series: Season Three: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.