Nicholas Hoult, who once auditioned for the role of Harry Potter himself, might finally be joining the Wizarding World! Two decades after vying for the titular role eventually snagged by Daniel Radcliffe, Hoult has a new opportunity with HBO's upcoming 'Harry Potter' TV series.
Hoult's Hogwarts Hope?
During an interview on Today, Craig Melvin reminded Hoult of his past audition for the iconic role. Melvin then inquired if Hoult would consider joining the new HBO adaptation of J.K. Rowling's books. Hoult responded, "I don’t know," but mentioned his previous collaboration with the show's director, Mark Mylod, on 'The Menu'. He added, "I love Mark as a director and I love those stories. I think I’m a little bit too old to play Harry now, though."
Melvin suggested Hoult could explore other characters within the Harry Potter universe, a sentiment Hoult seemed open to, praising the "great stories" of the franchise.
From Audition to Opportunity
Melvin even encouraged Hoult to contact Mylod directly, referencing how Hoult secured his role as Lex Luthor in the upcoming Superman movie by messaging director James Gunn on Instagram. Hoult joked about texting Mylod, saying, "I even have [Mylod’s] phone number now, so I can just text him and be like, ‘Dude, what’s up? Am I too old for Harry this time?’”
HBO announced their plans for the 'Harry Potter' TV series in April 2023, with each season dedicated to one of the seven books. Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & Max Content, stated that the series will "dive deep into each of the iconic books." The series will feature newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Alastair Stout as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, respectively. Will Hoult find his place in this new adaptation? Only time will tell!