The idea of aHarry Potter and the Cursed Childmovie has been fans' obsession for several years.Cursed Childis based on the original stage play,showing Harry, Ron, and Hermione as adults. It introduces new Hogwarts students, led by Harry’s son, Albus, and Draco Malfoy’s son, Scorpius, and the trouble they get into.
When originalDraco Malfoy actor Tom Feltonsigned on to the stage show to reprise his role as an adult, many fans dreamed of the original triplets from theHarry Potterfranchise returning to their roles as well.That won’t happen thanks to their feelings towards J.K. Rowling,but it brings some big questions for fans.
IfHarry Potter and the Cursed Childbecomes a moviein the future, and the original cast won’t return as adults, who would be the best to play the characters? It would all have to start with a new Harry Potter, but who could fit into the role of the former Boy Wizard turned Head of Magical Law Enforcement?
1Nicholas Hoult
Date Of Birth: June 28, 2025
Nicholas Hoult is no stranger to big-money blockbusterfranchises. He played Beast in theX-Menmovies and is now taking on the role ofLex Luthor in the new James GunnSupermanmovieworld. He has even been in a Dracula movie, so taking on the lead role in something as big as Harry Potter should be easy.
Hoult has the awkward personality needed to play Harry Potter, and as he showed with Lex Luthor and various other roles, he can also display the confidence the former Boy Wizard needs in his new role as Head of Magical Law Enforcement. Hoult also shares a similar look and build to Daniel Radcliffe, and could be a great replacement.
2Paul Dano
Date Of Birth: August 02, 2025
Paul Dano is a little older than Daniel Radcliffe, but he has always played younger than his age, so he could easily play someone Harry Potter’s age. Like Nicholas Hoult,Dano has experience with major franchises.He played The Riddlerin Robert Pattinson’sThe Batmanmovie with a good mix of awkwardness and confidence needed for the role.
Dano is a great actor. He has won several awards throughout his career while working with directors as acclaimed as P.T. Anderson and Steve McQueen. He has the talent to step into the role that Radcliffe developed and not miss a beat, delivering a quality performance as the adult wizard now tasked with more responsibilities.
3Dev Patel
Date Of Birth: Aug 11, 2025
It would be a mistake to simply match the adult Harry Potter inCursed Childwith Daniel Radcliffe, because this character needs to stand on his own. There is nothing wrong withbringing in someone of another nationality to play Potter,and the only people this would bother don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
Patel has the look and talent to pull off Harry Potter convincingly.
Dev Patel has proven to be a master actor in the years since his breakout inSlumdog Millionaire.He has played just about every character type over his career, from dramas and comedies to martial arts movies. Patel has the look and talent to pull off Harry Potter convincingly, and could be a great, inclusive addition to the cast.
4Taron Egerton
Date Of Birth: Jul 14, 2025
Taron Egerton is a Welsh actor who made his name playing a young spy in theaction comedy movieKingsman: The Secret Service. Seeing him in the film, wearing his tux with his glasses on,brings a very Harry Potter-esque feel to his appearance,and it would be easy to see him switching roles to become a wizard.
Egerton has shown his versatility as well, starring in a sports movie,Eddie the Eagle,portraying Elton John inRocketman,and playing Henk Rogers, the man who secured the rights to distribute the video gameTetrisin the ’80s. With such an eclectic mix of roles, Egerton seems perfect to take on the role of an adult Harry Potter.
5Evan Peters
Date Of Birth: July 04, 2025
Even Peters is someone else with a lot of experience in blockbuster entertainment.He starred as Quicksilver in theX-Menfranchiseand then took on several different roles in the various seasons ofAmerican Horror Story.Add in his performance as Jeffrey Dahmer inMonster, and he might be the perfect fit for sliding into the role of Harry Potter.
Harry Potter had a traumatic childhood and has grown into an adult with the job of ensuring that what happens to him doesn’t happen to any other kids at Hogwarts. Evan Peters has played around with trauma in theAHSfranchise, on both sides of the ordeal, and he could bring that experience with him into theHarry Potterfranchise.
6Joe Keery
Date Of Birth: July 03, 2025
Joe Keery is ready for a breakout, and taking on the role of Harry Potter inHarry Potter and the Cursed Childcould be that big step. Keery hasexperience in a franchise withStranger Things,but he hasn’t really broken out away from the show, which gave him a chance to get his feet under him and prove himself.
He had strong performances in things likeFargo, where he had one of the main roles in Season 5 as Gator Tillman, and to a smaller extent in movies likeFree GuyandPavements.He could also be a nice addition toHarry Pottersince he hasn’t had a major role yet, and this could break him out.
7Daniel Kaluuya
Date Of Birth: August 16, 2025
If the casting forHarry Potter and the Cursed Childwants to think outside the box, a great actor to join the cast as Harry Potter is Daniel Kaluuya. Like Dev Patel, this could send one faction of fans into an uproar, butKaluuya has the acting chops to deliver a special performanceas the adult wizard in the sequel.
Kaluuya has portrayed the innocence and kindness that Potter needsin movies likeGet Out,but he has also delivered powerful performances in movies likeBlack PantherandJudas and the Black Messiah.If anyone can play the kindly former Boy Wizard as the now strict and respected magic enforcement officer, it is Kaluuya.
8Jeremy Allen White
Date Of Birth: August 08, 2025
Jeremy Allen White is getting his first chance to star in a major movie blockbuster as he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe asThe Thing inTheFantastic Four: First Steps.However, he has also proved his acting chops by winningseveral awards for his role in the Hulu dramaThe Bear,which sees him as the main star.
While television fans know how talented this young actor is, the world could see his talent if he gets a chance in something likeHarry Potter and the Cursed Child.He won’t get much recognition for his voice performance in the newFFmovie, but he deserves something big likeCursed Childto finally prove how special he really is.
9Logan Lerman
Date Of Birth: June 24, 2025
Logan Lerman got his chance to become the next Daniel Radcliffe when he took on the lead role in theyoung adult adaptation,Percy Jackson and the Olympians.He was great in the role, and he even got a sequel, but the story and changes from the books pushed the base fans away, and it ended up dying off.
Percy Jacksongot a new life thanks to Disney+, and Lerman deserves the same. He was great in the Prime Video series Hunters, and it is time to get another shot as the lead in something big. He is talented enough to replace Radcliffe inCursed Child,and he could prove why he was the best thing in thePercy Jacksonmovies.
10Jack Quaid
Jack Quaid got his break thanks to the Prime Video seriesThe Boys,where he is the character whom fans follow the story. He has also proven that he can be a movie star as well, with the 2025 moviesCompanionandNovocaine,two very different films in terms of story and genre. He is ready for the next step.
He could play the adult Harry Potter and deliver a performance of someone who has seen bad things, since he has already played characters who lived through terrible events.
That could beHarry Potter and the Cursed Child.He could play the adult Harry Potter and deliver a performance of someone who has seen bad things, since he has already played characters who lived through terrible events. He is someone who isn’t so big that he would overshadow the main characters, yet still hold his weight.
