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Elon Musk—who might possibly be the Slytherin of Silicon Valley—has struck again. Only this time, without saying a word. He simply shared a video on X featuring influencer Kaizen Asiedu calling out Hollywood’s latest spell gone wrong: Race Swap-iosa!

Tech genius Elon Musk | Image: Real Time with Bill Maher/YouTube

First, Rachel Zegler as a “Latina Snow White” left fans wondering if the Evil Queen had cursed the original story. And now, whispers of a Black Professor Snape are sending shockwaves through the Hogwarts Express. So finally, as the water went over the bridge, Elon Musk took to X to silently express his disappointment in Hollywood’s forced diversity.

HBO race-swapping Severus Snape has even got on Elon Musk’s nerves

Tech genius Elon Musk may or may not be a Harry Potter fan, but he sure has some strong opinions about Hollywood’s spell gone wrong...

Harry Potter Reboot Snape Casting Controversy (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The upcoming Harry Potter television series promises to delve deeper into the magical world, potentially stretching across an impressive ten consecutive years. But while this ambitious timeline has piqued curiosity, some fans are less enthusiastic about rumored casting decisions.

Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape: A Controversial Choice

According to The Hollywood Reporter, British actor Paapa Essiedu, known for his roles in The Lazarus Project and Gangs of London, has reportedly been offered the role of Severus Snape.

Even though it’s not clear if formal negotiations have started between the two sides, the speculation has already stirred passionate reactions among fans. The late Alan Rickman famously embodied the complex Potions Master from 2001 to 2011, leaving a legacy many believe is impossible to match.

Paapa Essiedu has officially been cast as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter TV series. (Source: Deadline)

The creators of the show,...

WB seems to be all set to bring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter back to the screens — through a television series this time around, though — and boy, could the buzz be any louder. While no official details about the plotline of the project have been released as of yet, the reported casting choices are more than enough to have the fandom getting noisier than ever.

A still from the Harry Potter film series. | Credits: WB Pictures.

This is because some of the casting selections for this upcoming show aren’t being all too appreciated by fans — and rightly so, at that. This includes the recent near confirmation of Paapa Esseidu for the role of the fan-favorite head of the Slytherin House, Severus Snape. And judging from this turn of events, I’m convinced Warner Bros. might as well have not thought this one through.

WB is most likely to...

For every Potterhead who has been waiting for their Hogwarts letter to arrive, just hold on, because there seems to be a storm brewing in the Wizarding World. It’s HBO’s Harry Potter reboot that’s been sparking debates—and this time, it’s not about whether Ron and Hermione should’ve ended up together. Rather, the rumored casting of Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape.

The Golden Trio in the Harry Potter films | image: Warner Bros.

After HBO reportedly cast the Black British actor Paapa Essiedu as the Hogwarts professor Severus Snape, fans have been raising their wands in concern over one scene that could make or break the show. Remember Snape’s Worst Memory? Now imagine that scene with a Black Snape and a White James. Well, if you see the problem, welcome to the chaos.

HBO has reportedly cast Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape

HBO’s upcoming...

Although nothing has been officially confirmed, HBO continues to fill out the cast of its Harry Potter TV show, one actor at a time.

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part Two | Warner Bros.

Another day, another casting as HBO continues working on a TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO has offered the role of Severus Snape to British actor Paapa Essiedu, although it’s unclear if it is official or not.

Snape is one of the biggest characters in the Harry Potter series. The embittered, intelligent, and seething Potions professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is a fan favorite, partly due to the late Alan Rickman’s portrayal and partly for his instant loathing of young Harry Potter from the moment he arrives.

Enter Paapa Essiedu Paapa Essiedu in The Lazarus Project...

Alright, Potterheads, grab your wands and memorize your spells, because we’re diving into the ongoing debate that’s got the fandom into a frenzy! The rumor surrounding HBO’s Harry Potter TV reboot casting I May Destroy You star, Paapa Essiedu, as Severus Snape. And, of course, netizens are losing their minds over a potential Black Snape.

A still from the Harry Potter films | image: Warner Bros.

Ever since this speculation made headlines, fans have been constantly bickering about Severus Snape’s color description in the novels. Some mentioned how J.K. Rowling skipped addressing Snape’s skin tone, others asserted that Snape is White. Now, while one line from the books can dismiss this whole debate, let’s look at the bigger picture—if a Black Snape can work for HBO’s reboot.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban hinted at Severus Snape’s skin tone

It’s...

Remakes have collectively gained a very bad reputation in Hollywood. Fans have started to see through the rose-colored glasses and recognize the attempts to be what they are: a way for studios to make more cash. The Harry Potter franchise ended a little over a decade ago.

A still from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

While it has been a while since the last film was released, it is not nearly enough to require a reboot. However, HBO is still going forward with it, ignoring the majority of the fans who do not want the memory of the series to be ruined because of a poor attempt at making more money.

Keeping this in mind, it is not surprising that fans are not happy about the casting choice that has just been announced.

Severus Snape’s story is about to get a lot more...

HBO’s Harry Potter TV reboot is reportedly close to casting the talented Black British actor Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. And let’s be honest, J.K. Rowling is probably clutching her quill in horror. After all, this is the same author who wasn’t thrilled about Daniel Radcliffe playing Harry Potter because he wasn’t geeky enough.

J.K. Rowling during an interview | image: YouTube/The Rowling Library

Yep, Harry was meant to be a messy-haired geek, not a heartthrob. So if J.K. Rowling could have issues with Daniel Radcliffe’s looks, just imagine her reaction to a Black Snape. Considering Snape was described as a pale-skinned mean man in the books, this casting choice is already stirring up a cauldron of controversy.

HBO is closing in on Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape in the Harry Potter reboot

For months now, HBO’s Harry Potter TV reboot has...

Wands at the ready Potterheads — here's a bit of Friday evening news that's sure to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. Following hot on the heels of John Lithgow's casting as Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV series, it looks like the network giant may have just found two more acting heavyweights prepared to board the Hogwarts Express and take up post at fiction's most famous school of witchcraft and wizardry. According to Deadline, Oscar nominee and Kaos star Janet McTeer is in talks to play Professor Minerva McGonagall in HBO's ambitious new show, while The Lazarus Project's Paapa Essiedu — long rumoured to be on the Wizarding World casting wishlist — is reportedly close to closing a deal to play Potions Master and actual Half-Blood Prince Professor Severus Snape.

Originally portrayed by the late, great Dame Maggie Smith and the also sorely missed Alan Rickman respectively,...

Exclusive: HBO is closing in on two more main cast members for its high-profile series adaptation of the hugely popular Harry Potter fantasy books. Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actress Janet McTeer is in negotiations to play Professor Minerva McGonagall, sources tell Deadline. Additionally, Emmy nominee Paapa Essiedu, one of the first actors identified for the series, is closing his deal to portray Professor Severus Snape, I hear. They are poised to join John Lithgow, who, as Deadline reported exclusively, will be playing Professor Albus Dumbledore.

HBO declined comment. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” the network said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”

The Harry Potter series, designed to run over a decade, comes from writer-showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director/executive producer Mark Mylod. Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content,...

Alright, Potterheads, gather around, we need to talk. The HBO reboot of Harry Potter has already become a touchy subject before its production, but now there’s a new controversy brewing—Severus Snape. Particularly, the decision to change his character because, apparently, Alan Rickman’s portrayal in the films was too iconic.

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape in Harry Potter films | image: Warner Bros.

Now, don’t get me wrong—Alan Rickman’s Snape is literally my favorite character. His sneering delivery? Legendary. But let’s be real—his version of Snape was not entirely book-accurate. And now instead of embracing a truer, nastier, greasier Snape, it seems like the showrunners want to rewrite him altogether. Why? To apparently avoid comparisons.

Amid rumors of Black Snape, sources revealed a major diversion in Alan Rickman’s character

Ok, so let’s dive right into the tea. Ever since HBO announced their...

There's no chance in hell you could fool Stephen Moyer(True Blood) and Nina Singh (The Lazarus Project) in Art Detectives because they can easily tell a fake from the real thing. Both actors are set to star as Detective Inspector Mick Palmer and Detective Constable Shazia Malik respectively, in a new crime drama series from AcornTV that is being dubbed as "an exhilarating art world crime drama." In addition to catching art thieves, Di Palmer and DC Malik will also solve murder cases related to these elaborate art thefts in "a rich and colorful world driven by greed, obsession, lust, and revenge." Sequel to the exclusive first look released a few days ago, AcornTV has fully unveiled the series with more teasing images.

Stephen Moyer and Nina Singh in Acorn TV’s ‘Art Detectives’

Acorn TV just released the first four photos from the upcoming detective drama, Art Detectives. The first-look photos feature series star and executive producer Stephen Moyer in his role as Di Mick Palmer.

The series also stars Nina Singh (The Lazarus Project), Sarah Alexander (Coupling), and Larry Lamb (EastEnders). The six episode first season will premiere on Monday, June 9, 2025.

Art Detectives “is centered around the Heritage Crime Unit, a police department consisting of art loving Di Mick Palmer (Moyer) and straight-talking DC Shazia Malik (Singh). Together, they solve murders connected to the world of art and antiques, from Old Master paintings, to Banksy street art, medieval manuscripts and collectible vinyl,” reads Acorn TV’s synopsis. “Throughout the season, the artfully astute detectives encounter a fake Vermeer, Viking gold, a rare Chinese vase and items rescued from the Titanic. It...

“What I like about Mick is that he’s kind of broken, but nobody sees it,” Stephen Moyer (True Blood) said of the art loving Detective Inspector Mick Palmer when TV Insider visited the Belfast set of Art Detectives last November. The witty and mesmerizing new crime drama, premiering on Acorn TV on Monday, June 9, centers around the Heritage Crime Unit, which investigates cases connected to art and antiques – with plenty of murder thrown in. Our exclusive first look photo is from the series premiere, where lone wolf Palmer meets straight-talking Detective Constable Shazia Malik. “Mick sees in her a sort of ambitious, young, kindred spirit, and he asks her to come and join him. And it’s the first time that he’s sort of let anybody in,” Moyer told us after a day of shooting at the Ulster Museum, where he and Singh filmed a scene searching for...

For nine seasons and 182 episodes, John C. McGinley challenged his team at Sacred Heart Hospital in the medical comedy series Scrubsas the acerbic, sarcastic Dr. Perry Cox.Now, the actor, who appeared in the cult classic film, Office Space, is reuniting with Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence for his new HBO comedy series, Deadline reports.

Lawrence, who is also behind such hit series as Ted Lassoand Shrinkingon Apple TV+, is partnering with writer/executive producer Matt Tarseson a new comedy series for HBO. The yet-untitled series is set to be headlined by Steve Carell (The Office),who will also serve as executive producer on the project.

Related'It's a Team': Ted Lasso Star Doesn't Want a Spinoff, Shares Season 4 Update

Ted Lasso star Juno Temple addresses reports of a fourth season for the Apple TV+ series and shares why she isn't interest in a Keeley spinoff.

Ted Lasso Alum is Also...

The Wheel of Time will start spinning again when Season 3 of the Prime Video adaptation premieres on Thursday, March 13.

Season 3 will premiere with the first three episodes, followed by weekly drops building to an April 17 finale.

More from TVLineTVLine Items: Legacies Vet Joins Tracker, Heretic on Max and MoreKevin Hart Sets New Autobiographical Animated Series at BET+ - Watch Trailer, Get Premiere DateViola Davis Is a U.S. President Ready to Save the Day in Trailer for Prime Video's G20 Movie

The new Wheel of Time trailer highlights this season’s high-stakes drama and offers a peek into the fantasy saga’s changing world,...

Prime Video has released the official trailer for the three-part psychological thriller series, ‘Fear,’ about a family pushed to their absolute limits.

Excited to make a fresh start away from London, Martyn (Martin Compston) and Rebecca (Anjli Mohindra) move into a beautiful house in Glasgow with their two young children. At first the new home seems idyllic, but when their neighbour Jan (Solly McLeod) makes unnerving comments to Rebecca it turns out to be the start of something far more intimidating. Facing accusations that are every parent’s worst nightmare, and with the authorities refusing to step in, Martyn and Rebecca feel they have nowhere to turn to for help.

Martin Compston (The Rig, Line of Duty) leads the cast, alongside Anjli Mohindra (Vigil, The Lazarus Project), Solly McLeod (Tom Jones, The Dead Don’t Hurt), BAFTA-winning James Cosmo (Jack Ryan, Game of Thrones), Maureen Beattie (Deadwater Fell, Our House), Daniel Portman (Black Mirror,...

Much like J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series had a magical element to it that flocked audiences to the theaters, Alan Rickman seemed to have a separate fanbase in that regard. Playing the brooding role of Severus Snape, Rickman brought nuance to the character that now seems irreplaceable, in the midst of HBO’s casting for the upcoming reboot.

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape | image: Warner Bros.

However, Warner Bros. believes to have found a British actor who would be perfect for the role, Paapa Essiedu. Although Essiedu’s casting will surely bring greater diversity to the series, fans of the Og franchise are not quite sure about him replacing the late legend Alan Rickman. While the studio reportedly claimed to have a plan, netizens aren’t convinced.

Replacing Alan Rickman is challenging, but Warner Bros. has a plan Paapa Essiedu in The Lazarus Project | image: Sky Max

When it...

Includes minor Spoilers for The Wheel of Time books, which could end up in the TV show!

Prime Video's The Wheel of Time adaptation has made some questionable changes from the source material, but one recent casting announcement seems to be making up for one of them. Based on the prolific fantasy Wheel of Time book series by Robert Jordan, Amazon's big attempt at the fantasy game kicked off in 2021 to mixed reviews, with many long-term readers criticizing the numerous and often needless narrative changes, especially those that pertain to major components of the main characters.

The Wheel of Time season 3 returns in early 2025, with the next set of episodes planned to cover The Shadow Rising and The Fires of Heaven. Marcus Rutherford plays Perrin Aybara in The Wheel of Time's cast, terrifically bringing the classic fantasy protagonist to life. Perrin is one of the three boys who set...

The Wheel of Time TV series has announced new members joining the season 3 cast, and it should benefit Rand al'Thor's narrative going forward. Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time book series is one of the most beloved titles in fantasy, celebrated as a work that expanded on the tropes established in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, particularly in the sense of a more complex main protagonist. For all intents and purposes, Rand al'Thor is the Dragon Reborn; he fulfills the "chosen one" archetype, making it strange that Prime Video's TV adaptation hasn't given him the spotlight.

Amazon Prime Video began its adaptation of Robert Jordan's epic fantasy series back in 2021, and The Wheel of Time season 3 is set to return in March 2025. This season will combine story elements from The Shadow Rising, which is generally perceived as one of the best in the series, with the subsequent book,...

Five new actors have been announced for The Wheel of Time's Season 3 cast. The new season is set to premiere on Prime Video this March.

Deadline reports that Isabella Bucceri, Nukâka Coster-Waldau, Salóme Gunnarsdóttir, Björn Landberg, and Synnøve Macody Lund have all joined the cast of The Wheel of Time's third season. The series is led by Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney and Josha Stradowski. Character descriptions from Deadline also reveal which characters the actors will play, with the series being based on the books of the same name by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.

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Bucceri plays Faile Bashere, a Saldaen noblewoman who travels to Illian to pledge herself as a Hunter of the Horn. The character first...

The Wheel of Time season 3 adds five new book characters to its ensemble, including important Aiel figures. Adapted for television by executive producer and showrunner Rafe Judkins, and based on the novels by Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time season 3 debuts globally on Prime Video on March 13 and will continue to examine the possibility that Rand (Josha Stradowski) could be corrupted by power. The upcoming episodes may be just as notable, though, for the number of new additions to the high-profile fantasy series.

Prime Video confirms that Isabella Bucceri, Nukâka Coster-Waldau, Salóme Gunnarsdóttir, Björn Landberg, and Synnøve Macody Lund are among the latest names to join Wheel of Time season 3. Several characters are connected to the Aiel, which is a race of people, in the novels on which the show is based. They live between the Westlands and the Sharans and are generally considered to be skilled warriors.

Who The...

Harry Potter will soon be reimagined with a reboot series in the works at Max. Though the project is still in the early stages of production, a fan-made concept trailer imagines what a new Harry Potter series might look like.

Shared on YouTube by the channel Multiverse of Movies, the concept trailer was created with AI-generated imagery and voices. Game of Thrones actor Isaac Hempstead Wright is imagined as a new version of the boy wizard, and a narration introduces himself along with the other characters. The video can be viewed below.

Related 15 Harry Potter Plot Holes That Don't Actually Matter

Despite all the greatness of the Harry Potter universe, there are some head-scratching plot holes found throughout the series.

Other imagined casting choices in the faux trailer include Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) as Hermione Granger, Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place) as Ron Weasley, Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) as Rubeus Hagrid,...

One of the best and most underrated action movies of this year has now landed on Netflix. Director George Miller returns to the guzzoline-seeking post-apocalypse of Mad Max for the prequel, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which is now available to stream on the platform. And it’s certainly worth checking out as we head into the new year.

Directed and produced by George Miller, who wrote the screenplay with Nico Lathouris, Furiosa explores a previously unseen time in the world of Mad Max. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy as the titular apocalyptic warrior (taking over from Charlize Theron’s stellar turn in Mad Max: Fury Road) and Chris Hemsworth as the villainous warlord Dementus, the rest of the cast includes Tom Burke, Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), Lachy Hulme (The Matrix Revolutions), and Nathan Jones (Mad Max: Fury Road). Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is available to stream on Netflix now,...

Now that the entertainment industry is buzzing with tantalizing reports of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter reboot and casting of the iconic characters from J.K. Rowling’s beloved novels, netizens are taking to social media to fan-cast certain A-list actors into the titular roles. Recently, Cillian Murphy, Andrew Garfield, and Hugh Grant made their way onto that list.

A still from the Harry Potter films | image: Warner Bros.

Considering how HBO is currently eyeing actors for the upcoming reboot, fans shared AI-made pictures of Cillian Murphy as Voldemort, and Andrew Garfield as Remus Lupin, on Instagram. Meanwhile, several other actors were also transformed into beloved Harry Potter characters through AI, which took the internet by storm. So let’s check them out with a swish and flick of a wand.

Fans shared AI images of Cillian Murphy and Andrew Garfield in Harry Potter roles

The Harry Potter fandom has undoubtedly...

Who needs a stocking stuffer when you can watch Keira Knightley deck the halls with bullets and mayhem in the Christmas-set thriller Black Doves?

Fromcreator, writer, and executive producer Joe Barton, Black Doves — now streaming on Netflix — is Knightley’s first TV role since the 2002 mini-series Doctor Zhivago. The English actor stars as Helen, a professional spy who’s pulled into a vast, interconnected conspiracy alongside her assassin friend Sam (Ben Whishaw) when her secret lover Jason (Andrew Koji) is murdered.

After making her mark as an action heroine with films like Pirates of the Caribbean, King Arthur, and 2014’s Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, the actor found it “very exciting” to leap back into combat with Black Doves.

“It was amazing how that whole muscle memory thing, it was really still in there,” Knightley tells Tudum. “Now being a bit older, it didn’t freak me...

The Jackal is targeting NBC: The broadcast network will air the first episode of the Peacock series The Day of the Jackal on Monday, Dec. 30, at 10/9c.

The Golden Globe Award-nominated drama stars fellow nominee Eddie Redmayne as the Jackal, “an unrivaled and highly elusive lone assassin [who] makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee,” reads the official synopsis. “But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (No Time to Die’s Lashana Lynch) who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.

Unlike most Netflix shows, the spy thriller series Black Doves was immune from sudden cancelation from the get-go, having been renewed for Season 2 before the first outing was even released. Now that the series has debuted and hugely impressed both critics and audiences, creator Joe Barton has teased what we can expect from Black Doves Season 2 and the continuing adventures of Keira Knightley’s Helen Webb.

Speaking with Netflix Tudum recently, Barton teased the plot of Black Doves Season 2, revealing that he likes the idea of seeing Helen getting “pulled deeper into the world of spies having been so close to leaving.” As her husband, Wallace, edges closer to the top job as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, this inevitably “increases the pressure and the danger on her as a spy.”

“Just seeing the tension of that, seeing Sam back in London … I would like to see more Eleanor and Williams,...

One of the stars from True Detective: Night Country has a great television replacement in Netflix's spy thriller series Black Doves. Created by Joe Barton, Black Doves has opened to outstanding reviews, earning a near-perfect 94% Rotten Tomatoes critic score after its December 5, 2024 release date. Keira Knightley leads the cast of Black Doves along with Ben Whishaw of Skyfall and No Time to Die acclaim.

Black Doves follows Knightley's Helen Webb, the loving and supportive wife of Wallace Webb, a prominent British politician. Webb is also a secret agent working for the mysterious covert spy organization known as the Black Doves, which Mrs. Reed is the head of. Reed confronts Helen over an affair she was having with a civil servant named Jason (Andrew Koji), who was shockingly shot and killed in a park from long range. Suspecting that Helen could be in hot water with a powerful criminal conspiracy,...

Charly Clive will star opposite Steve Carell in his upcoming HBO comedy series from Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses.

The show was originally picked up back in May. Along with Carell and Clive, “Ted Lasso” alum Phil Dunster is also attached to star.

The half-hour series has been given a 10 episode order. The official logline states that the single-camera show is “set on a college campus, centering on an author’s (Carell) complicated relationship with his daughter (Clive).”

Clive is one half of the “Britney” sketch comedy duo with Ellen Robertson. The duo previously adapted “Britney” into a BBC Three pilot in 2023. “Britney” originated as a comedy stage show that Clive co-wrote about her experience of being diagnosed with a brain tumor at 23 years old. Her recent TV credits include “The Lazarus Project,” “Pure,” while she has also appeared in films like “All My Friends Hate Me.”

She is repped by United Agents,...

Exclusive: British actress Charly Clive (Pure) has landed the female lead opposite Steve Carell in HBO‘s untitled comedy series from Bill Lawrence, Matt Tarses and Warner Bros. TV. Clive was among a half-dozen 30-something actresses — including a couple of well-known names — who did a chemistry read with Carell for the hotly pursued role.

The single-camera comedy is set on a college campus, centering on an author’s (Carell) complicated relationship with his daughter (Clive). In addition to Carell, Clive joins previously cast Phil Dunster in the high-profile series.

The first of 10 half-hour episodes was written by Lawrence and Tarses. Lawrence, Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer of Doozer Productions executive produce alongside Tarses and Carell. The series is produced by Doozer in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Lawrence’s Doozer banner and Tarses are under overall deals.

Clive is probably best known for her starring role in the 2019 Channel 4...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Black Doves season 1.

Keira Knightley's Netflix espionage series Black Doves features a robust cast of secret agents, undercover spies, and lethal assassins. Created by Joe Barton, Black Doves has opened to outstanding reviews, earning a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic score upon its December 5, 2024 release date. Knightley leads the cast of Black Doves along with Ben Whishaw, who is best known for playing Q in Daniel Craig's final three James Bond movies. Black Doves also features a stellar supporting cast, including Sarah Lancashire's Reed, Kathryn Hunter's Lenny, Ella Lily Hyland's Williams, and Omari Douglas's Michael.

Black Doves follows Knightley's Helen Webb, the loving and supportive wife of Andrew Buchan's Wallace Webb, a prominent British politician. Webb is also a secret agent working for the mysterious covert spy organization known as the Black Doves, which Mrs. Reed is the head of.

It might be hard to remember, given the absolute cavalcade of "content" being constantly shoveled onto the Netflix servers, but back in 2022 Charlie Cox starred in the Netflix spy thriller "Treason," a show that released for Christmas and turned out to be pretty underwhelming. That was a shame, too, since Cox's star was back on the rise following the cancellation and swift Disney revival of "Daredevil," and the man is undeniably a talented actor. Sadly, the series itself fell short of being the Christmas gift fans of the spy genre were hoping for.

Now, Netflix is making it up to us all with "Black Doves," a six-episode spy thriller that debuted just in time for the festive season and features another British star in the form of Keira Knightly. Created and written by Joe Barton, "Black Doves" is set in London at Christmas time and follows Knightly's Helen Webb,...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Black Doves season 1.

Keira Knightley's Helen Webb has a complicated relationship with her assassin friend Sam, whose first kill was his own father in the Netflix espionage series Black Doves. Created by Joe Barton, Black Doves has outstanding reviews, earning a 98% Rotten Tomatoes critic score after its December 5, 2024 release date. Knightley leads the cast of Black Doves along with Ben Whishaw's Sam Young, best known for playing Q in Daniel Craig's James Bond films. Black Doves features a stellar supporting cast, including Sarah Lancashire's Reed, Kathryn Hunter's Lenny, and Ella Lily Hyland's Williams.

Black Doves follows public figure Helen Webb, the loving and supportive wife of Andrew Buchan's Wallace Webb, a prominent British politician. Webb is also a secret agent working for the mysterious covert spy organization known as the Black Doves, which Mrs. Reed is the head of.

Warning: Major Spoilers ahead for the Black Doves season 1 finale!Black Doves creator Joe Barton discusses season 1 ending with a major character death while explaining Sam's ultimate decision in the final episode. Black Doves season 1 ended by revealing Jason (Andrew Koji) was killed by the son of London crime lord Alex Clark (Tracy Ullman), Trent (Angus Cooper), who was trying to take away any connection to his accidental murder of Ambassador Chen (Andy Cheung). Although Helen (Keira Knightley) is the one out for revenge for her lover's death, it's Sam (Ben Whishaw) who winds up killing the culprit instead, something the Clarks won't take lightly.

Speaking with Netflix's Tudum about Black Doves' final episode, Barton explained how Sam's decision to kill Trent came from protecting Helen, not wanting her killing the young man to weigh on her conscience. The showrunner also explained how this has put his relationship with...

The first big casting news about HBO's Harry Potter remake has surfaced, and it's a great sign for the upcoming Wizarding World TV show. HBO's Harry Potter series will offer a modernized take on the books, and its TV format should allow it to be more faithful than the original adaptations. While the Harry Potter movies are fairly well-regarded, they cut a decent number of smaller storylines and characters from the source material. As the TV show will revisit the Harry Potter books, it has the opportunity to tackle their story more accurately.

Of course, this also means replacing the Harry Potter movies' iconic cast — an undertaking that's likely to be the most challenging aspect of selling HBO's remake. Many of Harry Potter's stars have become synonymous with their roles, so the TV show's creators will need to choose actors wisely in order to successfully replace them. Fortunately, the first...

Harry Potter fans assemble! The new HBO TV show is gearing up with its cast selection and release. Ever since Warner Bros. announced the adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s magical world into a TV series, the audience has been going crazy about it. Each season will be developed based on one of the seven books. Harry Potter has been a fan favorite for years, not only in the books but also in film adaptations.

A snippet from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone | Credits: Warner Bros.

Whenever we hear stories about Harry Potter, we picture Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, Rupert Grint as Ronald Weasley, Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, and so on. The actors have all become synonymous with their characters. However, now that the new TV series is coming, reports have been rife that Mark Rylance has been eyed for playing Albus Dumbledore. As per a few recent reports,...

If you love a Christmas mystery, Black Doves should be on your wish list — even if it’s more ass-kicking than cozy.

This six-episode spy thriller starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw as an unlikely spy/assassin duo will offer up high-stakes global intrigue as well as plenty of British wit, knife fights, and holiday (or anti-holiday?) cheer.

For anyone who knows that Die Hard is definitely a holiday movie, Black Doves, created and written by Joe Barton, will be delivered as an early Christmas gift on Dec. 5. Watch the tinsel-and-bullet-filled trailer above, and read on for everything that’s been declassified about the series so far.

Set against the backdrop of London at Christmas, Black Doves is a sharp, action-filled, and heartfelt story of friendship and sacrifice. It follows Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), a...

The new feature allows certain Disney+ subscribers access live sports for the first time.

While it was a quiet week for news amidst the Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday aftermath, Disney+ added a new feature to make some of its subscribers’ lives easier, making due on a promise to bring live sports to the streamer.

Plus, from a Christmas-set spy thriller series starring Keira Knightley to a documentary about the Man of Steel, get our watch recommendations!

This Week’s Biggest Streaming News:

Top News: Disney adds live sports with ESPN tile

Catch up on this weekend: ‘Black Doves’

Stream this weekend: ‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’

Disney+ brings live sports to streamer with new ESPN tile

Just two months ago, Disney+ increased its prices on most subscription plans, hoping it will push more customers to bundle up in the coming winter months with combination plans including Hulu, ESPN+, and/or...

Black Doves is the latest drama to premiere on Netflix. Audiences were kick to stream the Keira Knightley spy thriller, but is it worth the hype or are we just searching for a new series to watch as we reach the end of the year? Let’s find out!

To answer this question, we’re turning to both critics and audiences. Because let’s be honest, critics don’t always get it right, so it’s better to rely on fellow viewers. However, critics do often make good points. But before we dive in, what is Black Doves even about?

Created by Joe Barton (The Lazarus Project), Black Doves is a spy drama-thriller that follows Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), an undercover agent whose secret identity is threatened after her love interest become’s London’s underworld’s next victim. Black Doves also stars Sarah Lancashire, Ben Whishaw, Andrew Koji, and Andrew Buchan.

HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ series adaptation has reportedly found the actor for one of its most important roles. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Emmy nominee Paapa Essiedu has been offered the role of Severus Snape, the Hogwarts potions teacher who is Harry Potter’s nemesis and (spoiler alert) secret protector.

THR reports that Essiedu has been offered the role, but it’s not clear if negotiations have begun in earnest.

Essiedu is a British actor whose profile has been steadily rising over the past few years. He is known for his performances in the Emmy-winning 2020 limited series “I May Destroy You,” the action series “Gangs of London,” the sci-fi series “The Lazarus Project,” and the “Demon 79” episode of “Black Mirror.” He was nominated for an Emmy for “I May Destroy You” and BAFTAs for “I May Destroy You” and “The Lazarus Project.” He is a current nominee for a Drama...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Black Doves season 1.

The ending of Keira Knightley's Netflix espionage series Black Doves finds Helen and Sam uncertain of their futures after their showdown with the Clarks. Created by Joe Barton, Black Doves has opened to outstanding reviews, earning a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic score upon its December 5, 2024 release date. Knightley leads the cast of Black Doves along with Ben Whishaw, who is best known for playing Q in Daniel Craig's final three James Bond movies. Black Doves also features a stellar supporting cast, including Sarah Lancashire's Reed, Kathryn Hunter's Lenny, Ella Lily Hyland's Williams, and Omari Douglas's Michael.

Black Doves follows Knightley's Helen Webb, the loving and supportive wife of Andrew Buchan's Wallace Webb, a prominent British politician. Webb is also a secret agent working for the mysterious covert spy organization known as the Black Doves, which Mrs.

Though nothing is 100% official just yet, it looks like HBO may have found our small-screen Snape.

THR is reporting that British actor Paapa Essiedu is now in talks to play Hogwarts' cunning potions master, Professor Severus Snape, in the upcoming Harry Potter series. Essiedu is said to have been offered the part, but it's not clear if negotiations have begun in earnest.

Essiedu has appeared in the likes of Black Mirror, Gangs of London, The Lazarus Project, and I May Destroy You, as well as movies such as Men, The Outrun, and Femme.

This take on Snape is described as the "wickedly smart and casually cruel Hogwarts potions master who comes across as the story’s primary antagonist in the show’s first season." The character was previously played by the late Alan Rickman in Warner Bros.' eight Harry Potter movies.

HBO said in a statement, “We appreciate that...

A live-action Harry Potter TV series was first announced for HBO Max in January 2021, but there were delays due to an existing deal with Warner Bros. that lasts until April 2025.

The series was officially confirmed in April 2023 and will stream on Max (formerly HBO Max). In February 2024, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav announced the show would launch in 2026, and by June 2024, it was revealed the series would move from Max to HBO.

No official details about the show have been released yet, and no actors are confirmed, but Mark Rylance is close to being cast as Albus Dumbledore. Rumors about actors like Cillian Murphy playing Lord Voldemort are false and have not been confirmed.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Paapa Essiedu is being considered for the role of Severus Snape. Paapa gained fame for his role in I May Destroy You (2020), earning Emmy and BAFTA nominations, and has also...

A live-action ‘Harry Potter’ TV series was first reported to be in development for HBO Max in January 2021. However, there were issues with rights to the franchise due to an existing deal with Warner Bros. that lasted until April 2025.

The series was officially confirmed in April 2023 and will be available on Max (formerly HBO Max). In February 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said the show would launch in 2026. Then, in June 2024, it was announced that the series would be moved from Max to HBO.

So far nothing is known about the show in the official sense, no actors have been officially cast, but Mark Rylance is close to being signed for the role of Albus Dumbledore. There have been rumors about actors, including Cillian Murphy for the role of Lord Voldemort, but these are not true and were never confirmed by the official sources.

Now sources close to The Hollywood Reporter...

The Wizarding World seems to be making great progress in its attempt to bring the Harry Potter world back to fans, except in a revamped TV series version. While the official casting choices have yet to be announced for all the major characters, reports and some currently unconfirmed suggestions are swirling around nonetheless on who could play what in the new magical lore.

The Harry Potter film series. | Credits: Warner Bros.

That said, the most recent speculation is currently swirling around two of the most prominent characters of the saga: Professor Snape and Lord Voldemort. While Paapa Essiedu has reportedly been offered the role of the former, the Dark Lord portrayer Ralph Fiennes, on the other hand, is notably rallying for Cillian Murphy to take on the mantle of the latter – i.e. Voldemort – from him.

Harry Potter’s 2 Prominent Characters Seem to Have Already Found Their Matches

After more...

Apparently, "Harry Potter" media will continue no matter what, despite nearly two decades of the franchise's dominance over pop culture and the fantasy/adventure genres in particular. If a new "Potter" TV series must be made, as corporate interests deem it so, then the least that can happen is that some talented, creative people can try to elevate the material and make it their own.

That's just what seems to be happening with the news that actor Paapa Essiedu is in talks to portray Severus Snape in HBO's re-adaptation of J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" saga. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the ink is not yet dry on Essiedu's deal, with the trade publication stating that "Sources say the actor has been offered the part although it is not clear if negotiations have begun in earnest." This tracks, given that no actors have officially signed on to the series yet,...

As a wise Hogwarts professor once roughly said, "Harry Potter casting rumours are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before." But the latest name circling a part in Mark Mylod and Francesca Gardiner's upcoming Wizarding World HBO series is A) A very exciting one, and B) One that comes from a very reputable source. According to THR, The Lazarus Project and The Outrun star Paapa Essiedu has been offered the role of Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher Severus Snape, formerly played by the late, great Alan Rickman.

Per THR, multiple sources have confirmed to the Hollywood trade that Essiedu — an actor whose theatre background and propensity for playing darkly charismatic, complex men aligns well with both the part and the actor he stands to inherit it...

More casting information is getting revealed for the upcoming Harry Potter reboot series in the works at HBO. The latest update suggests that the role of Severus Snape is about to be cast.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, it's been reported that acclaimed actor Paapa Essiedu has been offered the role of Professor Severus Snape, but it's not yet clear if negotiations have since ensued. The Snape character was memorably portrayed by late actor Alan Rickman in the live-action Harry Potter movie series, and he was initially featured as an antagonist earlier on in the franchise. With the first season of the HBO series expected to take direct inspiration from the first installment of the novel series by J.K. Rowling, it's likely that the new Slytherin will serve a similar role.

Related 10 Great Movies Starring Multiple Harry Potter Actors

The Harry Potter movies are packed with amazing actors who have also...

HBO's Harry Potter series may have just found the actor that will be playing one of the most iconic roles in the beloved franchise. Previously played by the late Alan Rickman, Professor Severus Snape is a Hogwarts professor that is an intricate part of Harry Potter's journey. Starting off as an unlikable bully to the titular character, he becomes a misunderstood and absolute fan-favorite after the film series' heartbreaking finale. And now another actor will be portraying the iconic character in HBO's Harry Potter remake.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Paapa Essiedu, known for Gangs of London and I May Destroy, is the network's preferred choice to play the iconic character Severus Snape. It seems an offer has been sent over to the actor for the coveted role, but it is not clear if talks have begun between the two parties. Although no one has been officially cast in Harry Potter just yet,...