JK Rowling breaks silence on new Harry Potter cast for upcoming HBO series

The major new characters set to star in the series have been announced, with taking to social media to react. The author, whose net worth is estimated at close to £1billion after penning the original fantasy novels, had earlier clashed with previous Harry Potter stars over differences in political opinions, including on topics like trans rights.

The new characters have now been announced, with Harry to be played by Dominic McLaughlin, while Hermione and Ron will be played by Arabella Stanton and Alistair Stout respectively. They had the seal of approval from JK herself today, as she took to her X account to declare: "All three are wonderful. I couldn't be happier." Meanwhile, a statement by showrunner Franscesca Gardiner and lead director Mark Mylod also expressed joy at the castings.

The duo confirmed: "After an extraordinary search led by casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann, we are delighted to announce we have found our Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

"The talent of these three unique actors is wonderful to behold, and we cannot wait for the world to witness their magic together onscreen."

They added: "We would like to thank all the tens of thousands of children who auditioned. It's been a real pleasure to discover the plethora of young talent out there."

In the movies, which comprised the fourth-highest grossing franchise of all time at the box office, it was Daniel Radcliffe who was responsible for the lead role as Harry.

Meanwhile, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint had taken on the characters of Hermione and Ron.

Preparation is already underway to update the location for the HBO series, where a "mini-town" will be created around the Warner Bros Studio complex just outside of Watford in Hertfordshire.

A source had suggested that the financial investment marked the producers' commitment to making "multiple lengthy series" of Harry Potter in the coming years.

They told of Warner Bros: "They see pumping a huge amount of cash in upfront to construct this infrastructure as a worthwhile investment which they'll eventually get a return on.

"What they'll have is a small metropolis which will not only provide the backdrop for the show but all the facilities the huge cast and crew need, too."