ENTERTAINMENTControversial J.K. Rowling Addresses 'Harry Potter' Reboot as Cast Faces Death Threats
Controversial author J.K. Rowling addressed the newly released trailer of the ‘Harry Potter’ reboot amid headlines that the cast has received death threats.
March 27 2026, Published 6:10 p.m. ET
J.K. Rowling seemingly gave her seal of approval on the new Harry Potter reboot, even as backlash continues to swirl around the project.
The television show, based on the popular book and film series, will premiere on Max in May, following the release of its first trailer earlier this week.
J.K. Rowling Revealed Her Opinion on 'Harry Potter' Reboot
J.K. Rowling shared her opinion on the upcoming 'Harry Potter' reboot.
"It's going to be incredible," the Harry Potter author wrote via X. "I'm so happy with it."
The highly anticipated reboot features a brand-new cast stepping into the roles of beloved wizards Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger.
'Harry Potter' Cast Has Received Death Threats
J.K. Rowling is the writer of the 'Harry Potter' series.
However, the response hasn't been entirely positive. Paapa Essiedu, the Ghanian-English actor set to portray potions professor Severus Snape, revealed he was flooded with hate after news of his casting. The character was previously played by Alan Rickman, a white actor.
Following the backlash, network executive Casey Bloys said safety precautions were quickly put in place on set.
“With all actors on any kind of big IP shows — and this is obviously one of those where you’ve got, you know, passionate fans, people with a lot of opinions — it can get scary in places,” Bloys told Variety.
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Paapa Essiedu Broke His Silence on Death Threats
Alan Rickman originally played the role of Snape in the 'Harry Potter' films.
He continued, "So for any show like that, we anticipated it and tried to have training, you know, best practices in terms of social media and how to handle it. And obviously we’ve got a serious security team. So unfortunately, it was something that we thought might happen and we just try to be as careful as we can.”
Essiedu broke his silence on the constant threats he's faced in a conversation with The Times on March 21.
“I’ve been told, ‘Quit, or I’ll murder you,'” he said. “The reality is that if I look at Instagram, I will see somebody saying, ‘I’m going to come to your house and kill you.'"
Paapa Essiedu Says Threats Are Constant
Paapa Essiedu has received constant hate following his casting of Severus Snape.
He continued, "While I hope I’ll be okay, nobody should have to encounter this for doing their job. Many people put their lives on the line in their work. I’m playing a wizard in 'Harry Potter.' And I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t affect me emotionally.”
Essiedu said he hasn't reported any of the threats, adding, "I don’t think some 17-year-old boy being put in jail for two weeks for threatening to murder me would actually make me feel any better."
