HBO's Harry Potter TV series has resumed shooting in London, with Dominic McLaughlin's Boy Wizard once again spotted alongside Nick Frost's massive Hagrid stand-in. Walking through Central London together, this looks to be the build-up to them entering Diagon Alley.
The movie didn't spend too much time showing these two in the Muggle world together. However, scenes of Hagrid on the London Underground were shot and ultimately counted among Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone's (or Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S.) deleted scenes.
The cars are all from the late '90s, once again confirming that the Harry Potter reboot hasn't moved the action to the present day. That decision has been welcomed by fans who were worried that this take on J.K. Rowling's novels might try to contemporise or even Americanise the Wizarding World.
Similar to the late Robbie Coltrane, Frost's performance will be merged with this larger-than-life stand-in, giving us a Hagrid played by a well-known star and one who does right by the version of the half-giant and gamekeeper and groundskeeper at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Most seem to agree that it's good that the series is relying on that type of practical filmmaking rather than sticking Frost in a mo-cap costume and making Hagrid a CG character.
"Look, I'm a dad myself, so I am going to be very protective to the children, and I think that is Hagrid's — one of the kind of baselines of his relationship with those children," the actor recently said of his approach to the character. "He's very protective of them, and I honestly can't wait."
"I've had the opportunity to go and see some sets, and they're growing a Hagrid beard, and I'm seeing the Sorting Hat, and here are some wands. It's absolutely amazing," Frost teased. "Getting the chance to start to learn Francesca's script and hanging out with [director] Mark Mylod — that's the reason I wanted to do it in the first place — to get to retell and to be Hagrid. I get a chance to be Hagrid. It is amazing."
Check out this latest video from the set of HBO's Harry Potter in the X post below (via SFFGazette.com).
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, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown, and Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley.
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, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
Joining them will be 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, and Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge.
The series will be a faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling and will feature an exciting and talented cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters Harry Potter fans have adored for over 25 years.
The series 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.
Harry Potter premieres on HBO in 2027.