Having played Sirius Black in multiple Harry Potter movies, one would think that Gary Oldman would be done with the franchise.
But in a new interview with Variety, the English actor revealed that he's keenly interested in the upcoming HBO adaptation and he wishes the production would've looked his way for the role of Dumbledore.
"My personal feeling is that they're not going to go anywhere near anyone that was connected to the original. I'm actually very intrigued to see it because so much of the books were cut. I would've fancied a go at Dumbledore. Getting up there now, it's the right age for Dumbledore."
Of course, the role of Dumbledore in the upcoming HBO show went to John Lithgow, a casting that has ignited some controversy since Lithgow is American.
Elsewhere, Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes shared some advice for the incoming cast, particularly those who will be donning wizarding robes.
“Make sure you can handle the long flowing robes and don’t trip over them. Practice your long flowing robe walk,” the actor told Entertainment Tonight with a humorous look in his eyes.
“Initially, they were one piece with a gusset, which kept getting lower and lower during the shooting day and became uncomfortable. So then I said I wanted individual tights like a garter belt. I enjoyed teasing the stunt guys by lifting up my robes and showing them my garter belt.”
Newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton will step into the legendary roles of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, respectively.
They'll be joined by an impressive supporting cast: John Lithgow will portray Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu takes on the role of Severus Snape, Janet McTeer will play Professor McGonagall, Nick Frost joins as Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Filch.
Francesca Gardiner (His Dark Materials, Succession) will serve as showrunner, while Succession alum Mark Mylod is confirmed to direct several episodes of the debut season.
Though a release date has not yet been confirmed, HBO is assuring fans that this adaptation will remain deeply loyal to J.K. Rowling’s original book series. Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, emphasized that the show will embrace the full depth and richness of the source material.
“With a devoted creative team, we’ll finally be able to explore the depth and detail of these beloved stories through the long-form storytelling that television makes possible,” Bloys shared in a press statement.