"The Effect" Opening Night - Source: Getty — Paapa Essiedu (Image via Getty)

"Adam Driver should have been Snape"— Fans disagree with Paapa Essiedu's casting as Severus in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot series on HBO

Modified Apr 19, 2025 06:43 GMT

HBO's Harry Potter reboot series announced the casting of six characters. The press release from Warner Bros. Discovery on April 14, 2025, confirmed the long-running rumors that actor Paapa Essiedu has been cast as Professor Severus Snape.

Essiedu's casting as Snape has been met with a lot of criticism, as fans believe that he is not the right fit for the portrayal of the character. Some fans have also claimed that Adam Driver would have been a better choice for the role.

"Adam Driver should have been Snape," a fan wrote.

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Some other fans have also argued that Adam Driver's casting as Snape would have been more accurate.

"oh god, yes. Adam Driver is.....basically perfect for the role," another fan mused.

"Adam Driver would’ve been a great casting choice," another fan wrote.

"Paapa Essiedu should not have been cast Severus Snape in the Harry Potter TV series. Why not focus on expanding actual black characters like Dean Thomas, Angelina Johnson, Lee Jordan or Kingsley Shacklebolt?," another fan added.

"The casting of Snape like how wrong can one go...why does everything have to conform DEI," another fan commented.

On the other hand, some fans believe that Essiedu is well-suited for the role.

"Ooh! Exciting. I hope people will get over Snape’s skin colour," one fan wrote.

"Paapa is a bloody good actor," another fan added.

Professor Snape is considered one of the important characters in J.K. Rowling's fantasy novel series. The late English actor Alan Rickman brought the character to life in Warner Bros.' film series, leaving a lasting impression on fans.

Initially, Snape is the professor of Potions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, although he has always aspired to be the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. In the sixth book, he finally gets the opportunity to teach Dark Arts, only to be promoted to the position of the school's headmaster.

Snape's character gets progressively more layered with each book, but his heart-wrenching backstory is not revealed until the last one.

Also read: 'Harry Potter' HBO reboot confirms new stars as iconic Hogwarts characters come to life

Alan Rickman initially wanted to step down from his role as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies

A still from 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (Image via Instagram/ @harrypotter)

Alan Rickman is regarded as one of the most esteemed actors of his generation. He began his professional acting career as a theater actor and made his film debut in the 1988 hit movie Die Hard.

In 2001, Rickman was cast as Severus Snape, a character he played in all eight movies of the fantasy saga, which came to an end in 2011 with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.

After his passing in 2016 due to cancer, the entries in his pocket diary from the 11 years that he spent playing Snape were published in a Guardian article on September 24, 2022. An entry from December 4, 2002, revealed that Rickman wanted to leave the franchise.

"Talking to [agent] Paul Lyon-Maris about HP exit, which he thinks will happen. But here we are in the project-collision area again. Reiterating no more HP. They don't want to hear it," the entry read.

He learned about his diagnosis with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, ahead of the filming of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The doctors had no option but to remove his entire prostate. In a diary entry from January 30, 2006, he detailed his reason for not leaving the franchise.

"Finally, yes to HP 5. The sensation is neither up nor down. The argument that wins is the one that says: 'See it through. It’s your story'."

All eight movies are available to stream on Max.

About the author

Ankita Shaw is an Entertainment Writer at Sportskeeda. While she has a Bachelor's degree in Physiology, her interest in films, television shows, and books has propelled her into the world of entertainment journalism.

With a passion for storytelling, she has worked as a writer for the digital publication TheThings and served as a full-time Entertainment News Writer at Animated Times, accumulating over one and a half years of experience. As an entertainment reporter, she enjoys reading and writing about the personal experiences of celebrities, with a particular emphasis on their human side beyond fame, wealth, and glamour.

Outside of her professional commitments, she is an aficionado of compelling narratives and enjoys watching films across diverse genres. In music, her favorite is the British-Irish boyband One Direction. She is fascinated by their creative output, which evokes joy and positivity through themes such as self-discovery, heartbreak, and love.

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