After months of rumors, HBO has officially confirmed the first six cast members of its upcoming Harry Potter series.

The network has revealed the series will star John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid in series regular roles.

Additionally, cast in guest/recurring roles are Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

The young actors to play Harry, Ron Weasley, Hermoine Granger and more will be announced at a later date .

What the showrunner and director say about the castings

“We are happy to announce the casting of John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon and Paul Whitehouse to play Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell and Filch,” said Francesca Gardiner, showrunner and executive producer and Mark Mylod, director of multiple episodes and executive producer, in a joint statement. “We’re delighted to have such extraordinary talent onboard, and we can’t wait to see them bring these beloved characters to new life.”

What to expect from the ‘Harry Potter’ series

As the network notes, “the series will be a faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling and will feature an exciting and talented cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters Harry Potter fans have adored for over 25 years. Exploring every corner of the wizarding world, each season will bring Harry Potter and its incredible adventures to new and existing audiences.”

The HBO series is produced in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. Executive producers aside from Gardiner and Mylod are J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV and David Heyman of Heyday Films.