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The announcement of HBO Max's Harry Potter series has created fair excitement among Potterheads. Even to this day, Harry Potter remains one of the most beloved fantasy tales of our time. The films accomplished the rare feat of staying true to the vibe and nature of the book, almost defining the characters and narration through the actors.
HBO Max's TV series barely disappoints. House of the Dragon was one of the best adaptations, almost living up to Game of Thrones fans' expectations. The Last of Us was also praised for its faithful adaptation of the video game of the same name. Succession and The White Lotus are other examples of brilliant shows from HBO Max.
Dumbledore is one of the fantasy genre's most well-known and important characters. His grace and wisdom set the standard for mentor figures in stories that came decades later. Even with only two actors, there has been a lot of discussion about who played Dumbledore better, making the decision for the HBO series more difficult. Here are some actors who could play Dumbledore in HBO Max's Harry Potter adaptation.
Best actors who would be ideal for the role of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series
1) Brian Cox
Succession boasts some of the finest performances and best-written characters of our time. Brian Cox's subtle yet powerful performance as the series' patriarch elevates the show's quality and holds the story's chaos together, establishing him as a brilliant actor. His calm, yet influential performance makes him perfect for the role of Dumbledore.
Dumbledore's multi-dimensional character and the way he evolves throughout the show make it difficult for any actor to capture the essence of the complicated man. Cox, however, has proven how efficient he can be at delivering wide-ranging emotions. He would perhaps make a rather wise-looking and observant Dumbledore, with the depth in every action being conveyed effortlessly.
2) Dick Van Dyke
When casting for a pivotal character like Dumbledore, especially when HBO is trying to redefine the narrative after a popular film series, it is obvious that a very experienced actor would be chosen. Dick Van Dyke fits the bill perfectly, given that his career began in 1944 and is still going strong today.
Dick Van Dyke's memorable role in Mary Poppins also found its way into the hearts of an entire generation, making him an extremely popular actor. Dyke may alter the character slightly to create a more enthusiastic Dumbledore. If Dyke does play the role, some scenes from the books that show a much more animated Dumbledore could make their way to the screen in the Max series.
3) Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen was in fact one of the choices for Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies. With Gandalf being similar to Dumbledore in many ways, it is obvious that McKellen could pull the character off with just as much grace as he did the former. Despite his age, the actor's grace and wisdom shine through in every expression, making him a potentially perfect Dumbledore.
While the reason for McKellen refraining from playing Dumbledore in the films is not very clear, fans have always expressed curiosity as to what the actor could have done with the on-screen character. Many fan edits have also portrayed McKellen as Dumbledore in many ways. As much as we all loved Michael Gambon in the role, McKellen can undoubtedly bring a fresh perspective to the wise old Harry Potter character.
4) Michael Caine
Alfred from Christopher Nolan's Batman film series is one of Michael Caine's most memorable performances. Dumbledore and Alfred do share a lot of similarities in their wisdom and their ability to judge situations from a distance. Dumbledore grew to be a mentor figure to Harry in the same way that Alfred was to Bruce Wayne. His performance made it clear that he would make Dumbledore more interesting.
Caine playing Dumbledore would open up the opportunity for the relationship between Harry and the former to be explored more elaborately in HBO Max's Harry Potter. The audience's familiarity with the actor would also make it easier for us to relate to him and root for him through his battle against the Dark Lord.
5) Charles Dance
Charles Dance is widely known for playing very evil, poker-faced villains. Authoritarianism and rigidity define most of the characters he has played so far. However, there is no denying that he is a gifted actor with the potential to be much more. Watching Dance as Dumbledore would change things up for good and might even bring new shades to our beloved Dumbledore.
There are instances in the book where Dumbledore does come across as rather strict and indifferent in his battle for the greater good. That angle of the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts could be explored better if Dance does play the role in HBO Max's Harry Potter.
The anticipation around the new Harry Potter series is very high. This is not surprising and is to be expected given that the fandom for the book series and movies has only grown since the first book was released. The audience's faith in HBO Max's shows has only made the excitement grow as social media is now full of posts about the potential cast for the series.
