HBO Max's Harry Potter series casts THREE more stars for season two with Rafe Spall set to follow in his dad Timothy's footsteps with a role in the controversial show

The much-anticipated Harry Potter TV series has cast the roles of Arthur Weasley, Moaning Myrtle and Colin Creevey, with filming for season two set to begin in a matter of weeks.

The HBO adaptation will see young Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin take on the role of The Boy Who Lived, and is set to release its first series this Christmas.

Season one of the big-budget show is set to air on Christmas Day, with production already well underway for its second run.

It's been announced that Rafe Spall is set to play the role of Ron Weasley's father Arthur, following in the footsteps of his famous father Timothy, who played Peter Pettigrew (Wormtail) in five of the Harry Potter films.

Molly Hewitt-Richards, who previously starred in the ITV drama Code Of Silence, will play the ghost Moaning Myrtle, previously played by Shirley Henderson in the films. 

Bridget Jones star Jasper Ambrose will play the excited photographer Colin Creevey, who was previously played by Hugh Mitchell.

Since it was announced in 2023, the Harry Potter series has sparked controversy from anti-JK Rowling activists, with Nicholas Hoult even backing out of the project last week.

Harry Potter author Rowling is a fierce defender of women's rights but has been labelled transphobic by some campaigners.

Many of the actors taking up roles in the new series have faced the wrath of her critics, who believe any remakes of her work should be boycotted. Rowling serves as an executive producer on HBO's show.

Filming for the second season of Harry Potter is expected to start this autumn, while the first season will come out on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day.

The HBO reboot of Harry Potter will see 12-year-old Dominic play Harry. The role was first portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe, now 37. 

Alastair Stout will star as Ron Weasley, previously played by Rupert Grint, 38, and Arabella Stanton will complete the trio as Hermione Granger, who was played by Emma Watson, 36, in the iconic 2000s films.

Speaking recently about landing the titular role, McLaughlin told the BBC: 'I was always a huge Harry Potter fan when I was younger. And it was like the dream role, of course.'

He also called it a 'bit surreal', adding: 'I'm thrilled to be able to be doing it.'

Details about the new show have been kept tightly under wraps. However, Rowling said in a post on X in June last year that she had read the scripts of the first two episodes – calling them 'SO, SO, SO GOOD'.

The TV show comes a decade and a half after the original films based on Rowling's best-selling books came to an end, and it is reported to be a more faithful adaptation than the original cinematic incarnations.

However, while HBO and many Harry Potter fans are excited for the upcoming remake, the show has been plagued with controversy from the get-go.

Dubbed the 'streaming event of the decade', many former Potterheads have vowed to boycott the programme because of the ongoing controversy surrounding Rowling's comments about transgender people.

However, with big stars on board, bosses are clearly hoping the love for the magic will overcome the controversy.

With under four months until the show is scheduled for release on Christmas Day, several scandals have already hit the show.

In May, it was revealed that the actor supposed to be playing Ginny Weasley had to drop out of the project.

There were also reports of thefts in the prop room, and the series doesn't even have the backing of the original Harry Potter director Chris Columbus.

In an extreme turn of events, Paapa Essiedu has said he has even faced death threats since being cast as Severus Snape in the new TV series.

Opening up about the racist abuse he has had to endure, he explained how the trolls believe a black man should not play a fictional wizard and have told him: 'Quit or I'll murder you.' The role was previously taken on by Alan Rickman in the films.

The upcoming show has also been hit with 'alarming' accusations of bullying and claims two 12-year-old extras were spotted fighting on set.

According to reports in March, bosses at Warner Brothers were forced to step in and issue warnings to both adults and children, as well as the threats of being booted from the show no matter how famous they may be.

A source said: 'There are a lot of youngsters on set at any one time, and the reality is that not everyone is going to get on. It's an alarming problem and bosses want to get rid of any bad eggs among the cast and crew.

'Bosses have issued warnings about behaviour. The bullying accusations have involved adults and children. It has been made clear that anyone reported for bullying will be immediately axed, no matter how famous they may be.'

HBO's Harry Potter series is set to premiere on Christmas Day on HBO Max.