HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series has found its Peeves the Poltergeist. This will mark the first time Peeves is portrayed in a live-action project.
Who has joined the cast of the Harry Potter HBO Max TV show?
Peter Serafinowicz has been cast as Peeves the Poltergeist in the Harry Potter series (via Variety). Serafinowicz previously played Spitelout in last year’s live-action How to Train Your Dragon. The actor has also played Denarian Saal in James Gunn’s inaugural Guardians of the Galaxy film.
In the Harry Potter universe, Peeves is a ghost notorious for causing mischief at Hogwarts. The character has appeared outside the books in Harry Potter video games, most notably Hogwarts Legacy, but was never included in the theatrical films. Rik Mayall was once cast in the role before being entirely cut from the final movies.
The casting of Peeves shows once again that the new series is serious about committing to adapting the novels more deeply. Previous set photos show that the series will include previously unfilmed scenes from the books. It’s unknown whether Peeves will be portrayed via CGI or through makeup.
The HBO Max series stars Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, respectively. The show is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner. The series is executive produced by Mark Mylod, J.K. Rowling, David Heyman, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts.
Besides Peeves, the show has already started casting key characters for Season 2. HBO currently plans to adapt all seven books over roughly a decade, with each season covering one book.
Harry Potter Season 1 will debut on HBO in Christmas 2026, adapting the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
