Fans Explode In Anger After Release Of HBO’s Harry Potter Series Trailer Over Character’s Race Change

Jason Sargent Thursday, March 26, 2026

Binitha JacobThu, March 26, 2026 at 4:56 PM UTC

The trailer release of HBO’s “Harry Potter” reboot was meant to be a nostalgic return to Hogwarts. But instead, it triggered fierce backlash over the casting of Paapa Essiedu.

The criticism has been so extreme that the Ghanaian-English actor said he has been receiving dangerous threats for picking up a wizarding wand.

Some fans even name-dropped another actor, claiming he would have been a better choice for one of the franchise’s most iconic roles.

The trailer release of HBO’s “Harry Potter” reboot triggered backlash over the casting of Paapa Essiedu

Image credits: Sebastien Courdji/Getty Images

HBO released a teaser trailer for its “Harry Potter” TV series, scheduled to premiere on Christmas Day this year.

Based on J. K. Rowling’s seven-book series, the story picks up on 4 Privet Drive, with Harry dragging himself through life with the Dursleys until Hagrid whisks him away to the wizarding world.

Image credits: HBO Max

The teaser sparked massive backlash, particularly over the casting of Paapa Essiedu as Professor Severus Snape, originally played by Alan Rickman in the Harry Potter films.

“Snape deserved better…. this feels like a downgrade nobody asked for,” said one critic.

Image credits: ImperiumFirst

Image credits: emm_cee22

“Worst casting ever,” one said. “I think Snape should have stayed as a white n*zi, and the description of him making children scare of him sound a bit mess up.”

Another wrote, “Snape was canonically a pale, hooked-nose, greasy-haired half-blood with sallow skin. This is just race-swapping for the sake of it. Books matter more than modern checkboxes.”

Fans claimed Adam Driver would have been a great choice for the iconic role

Image credits: HBO Max

Some claimed Adam Driver would have been a great choice for the role.

“I truly think this was a generational casting mistake,” one said. “ … Adam Driver could have played the most significant, and emotional role of his life. Not only as Snape, but as an actor perfectly suited to fill the shoes of Alan Rickman’s Masterpiece.”

Image credits: Cindy Ord/Getty Images

“Whatever it costs, reshoot it,” said another. “This will be a financial failure if a course correction doesn’t come very very soon.”

Others believed Essiedu looked promising and said, “bro he actually looks so cool.”

Image credits: Lucasfilm / Warner Bros. Pictures

Image credits: solanaphil

Image credits: salmancer

“HE LOOKS SO COOL HE WILL BE ICONIC,” one declared.

“Paapa Essiedu actually looks menacing here,” said another. “The energy is right. People mad for no reason, Alan Rickman was perfect but this casting might surprise everyone.”

“The costume the posture the energy he understood the assignment,” read one comment

Image credits: HBO Max

Image credits: swag_piii

Image credits: MarcoKelly_23

After joining the show’s cast last year, Essiedu said he has noticed the backlash and often saw comments from people threatening to harm him..

“I’ve been told, ‘Quit, or I’ll m*rder you,’” he told The Times in an interview published last week.

“The reality is that if I look at Instagram, I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and k*ll you,’” he said.

Essiedu said he has been receiving threats against his life since his casting was announced

Image credits: Entertainment Tonight

The negativity has been affecting him “emotionally,” the actor admitted

“While I hope I’ll be okay, nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job,” he said. “Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in ‘Harry Potter.’”

Despite the emotional toll, Essiedu said he never reported the threats because he doesn’t want to see “some 17-year-old boy being put in jail for two weeks.”

That wouldn’t “actually make me feel any better,” he added.

Jason Isaacs called Essiedu “one of the best actors” he’s ever seen during his Fan Expo Denver appearance last year

Image credits: Harald Krichel

Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the films, called Essiedu “one of the best actors” he’s ever seen during his Fan Expo Denver appearance last year.

“I’ve seen some people online who are being rude about him,” he said. “What they’re being is racist.”

Image credits: Variety

HBO reportedly had to tighten its security following threats over Essiedu’s casting.

Casey Bloys, the CEO of the network, said they not only anticipated such a reaction but even tried to prepare for it.

“With all actors on any kind of big IP shows — and this is obviously one of those where you’ve got, you know, passionate fans, people with a lot of opinions — it can get scary in places,” he told Variety this week.

The “Harry Potter” TV reboot is slated to premiere on Christmas Day this year

“So for any show like that, we anticipated it and tried to have training,” he added.

Bloys said they tried to put the “best practices” in places to handle social media and are working with a “serious” security team.

“So unfortunately,” he said. “It was something that we thought might happen and we just try to be as careful as we can.”

“This is just a total joke,” one commented online