Out of all the exciting projects in the works at HBO right now, perhaps nothing has as much potential for viewership as the new Harry Potter show. After spending much of 2025 in production, HBO confirmed earlier this year that the first episode of the series will premiere at Christmas, setting it up to be one of the biggest shows of 2026. Plenty of big names have been cast in HBO’s new Harry Potter show, but one of the more intriguing up-and-comers to join the ensemble has been Paapa Essiedu, who has been tapped to play Severus Snape. Some fans have criticized this casting, proclaiming that Essiedu is not the right choice to take over the role from the great Alan Rickman. While it’s fair to be apprehensive of any new coming cast member, it’s not fair to assume Essiedu can’t do a great job playing Snape simply because of the color of his skin — the best thing to do is reserve judgment until the show is streaming later this year.
Just because Essiedu has been tasked with playing Snape doesn’t mean he’s boxing himself into a corner, though. News broke this week that Essiedu is one of the exciting new additions to Amazon MGM’s mysterious new thriller film in the works, tentatively titled Tyrant. Essiedu is one of several exciting new additions to Tyrant that were announced just yesterday, which also include Omar Apollo, Nara Smith, and even Hudson Williams. Williams is fresh off his breakout role in the 2025 HBO sensation Heated Rivalry, with both he and his co-star Connor Storie landing some big roles in the last few months.
Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it’s your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
🦁Gryffindor
🐍Slytherin
🦡Hufflepuff
🦅Ravenclaw
01
What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.
02
A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.
03
What does success look like to you? What you’re working toward defines who you’re becoming.
04
What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.
05
The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
06
What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.
07
You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.
08
The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: “You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?” This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.
The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen
After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.
Gryffindor Tower · Scarlet & Gold
🦁 Gryffindor
You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you’re terrified — especially then.
Gryffindors don’t act because they’re fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
You charge toward what’s right even when the odds are terrible.
Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts’s greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.
Slytherin Dungeon · Emerald & Silver
🐍 Slytherin
You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.
Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.
Hufflepuff Basement · Yellow & Black
🦡 Hufflepuff
You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.
Hufflepuff is not the “safe” house or the “leftover” house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
You show up. You work hard. You don’t need glory or recognition — you do what’s right because it’s right.
Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world’s finest. And now you join them.
Ravenclaw Tower · Blue & Bronze
🦅 Ravenclaw
Your mind is your greatest gift, and you’ve always known it.
Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it’s about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don’t know something yet.
You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.
Who Else Stars in ‘Tyrant’?
While the new additions to Tyrant are certainly exciting, what might be more so is the original trio of stars who were first attached to star in the film. The first announced cast members include Julia Garner (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), Demi Moore (Landman), and Charlize Theron, who can currently be seen in the Netflix #1 blockbusterApex. Plot details about Tyrant are being kept under wraps right now, but it’s reportedly going to be a thriller with DNA from films like Whiplash (starring J.K. Simmons) and The Wolf of Wall Street (starring Leonardo DiCaprio). There’s no word yet on whether the film will be released straight to streaming or in theaters, but it is now in production. David Weil is directing from a script he wrote.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Tyrant and coverage of all the hottest projects in the works.
