When the news broke that One Life and Lovesick star Johnny Flynn had been cast as Lucius Malfoy in HBO's Harry Potter TV series, it raised a lot of questions among fans of the Wizarding World.
That's because the character doesn't appear in the books until Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The first season of this new small-screen adaptation will cover the events of J.K. Rowling's first book, The Philosopher's Stone, so why is Draco Malfoy's father there?
We can't say for sure, but Flynn has confirmed (via SFFGazette.com) that he's already shot scenes for Harry Potter Season 1. "It’s good, I’ve only done a little bit and I’m just giddy as a fan of the stories, of the books really," he said. "I still remember reading the books as a teenager, and they meant so much to me and so much to my kids, so it’s really cool to be a part of this."
Set photos have already confirmed that scenes from The Deathly Hallows (exploring what happened on the night James and Lily Potter died) will be included in this first batch of episodes.
While we don't necessarily anticipate scenes from The Chamber of Secrets being brought forward, the show will likely include new scenes that expand on Lucius' history with Lord Voldemort or even just his dynamic with Draco.
Asked whether he's spoken to the original Lucius Malfoy, Jason Isaacs, Flynn replied, "We haven’t spoken since I got cast, but we did a film together a few years ago, and we got on very well and he’s a sweetheart."
Many fans have questioned the necessity of a Harry Potter TV series, with several hours more than the movies to retell Rowling's stories, there's room to expand on character arcs and subplots. In Lucius' case, that's likely to make him an even more effective foe for Harry, and should better set him up as a primary antagonist willing to slip a young girl a cursed diary in the hope of resurrecting the Dark Lord.
You can hear more from Flynn on his Harry Potter role in the player below.
Dominic McLaughlin has been cast in the role of Harry Potter, with Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.
Joining them will be Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley, Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, Finn Stephens as Vincent Crabbe, and William Nash as Gregory Goyle.
Harry Potter's adult cast includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Sirine Saba as Pomona Sprout, Richard Durden as Cuthbert Binns, Bríd Brennan as Madam Poppy Pomfrey, and Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick.
The series will also feature Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander, Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge, and Leigh Gill as Griphook.
Harry Potter is written and executive-produced by Francesca Gardiner. Mark Mylod will executive produce and direct multiple episodes of the series for HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. The series is executive produced by J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.
HBO's Harry Potter TV series premieres in 2027.