An All-Black Cast Reboot of Harry Potter: Yay or Nay?

Article by Alix Grubel

Tue. 16th Jan, 2018 at 1:34PM

Twitter got caught up in a fresh Harry Potter frenzy recently. This time it wasn't about a new Potter book by JK Rowling. Under the hashtag #BlackHogwarts, fans of the wizarding world imagined a reboot where the cast would comprise only of black actors.
There was a noticeable lack of diversity in the entire series of eight films. The only actors of African origin were How to Get Away with Murder's Alfred Enoch (Wes Gibbins) and two others who appeared in minor speaking roles. A lot of the suggested recasting was spot on, even getting JK Rowlings's attention and hopefully her Accio Horcrux summoning charm to make the Black Hogwarts reboot a reality.
Some of the consensus picks for the major roles include Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones as Professor Dumbledore, Donald Glover or Stranger Things Star Caleb Mclaughlin as Harry Potter, Zoe Kravitz as Hermione, Terrence Howard as Lord Voldemort, Viola Davis as Professor McGonagall and, of course, Snoop Dogg as herbology professor Pomona Sprout.
If it were to happen (which is unlikely), #BlackHogwarts will be the first major reboot of its kind. Dynasty, a currently airing TV series reboot of popular 80's soap opera with the same name, has recently done it but, with just one major character. Nigerian-American actor Sam Adegoke taking the role of the wealthy Jeff Colby.
In 2017, rapper Jay Z put out a video for his song Moonlight which re-imagined 90's sitcom Friends with an all-black cast featuring Insecure's Issa Rae as Rachel, Thor Ragnarok breakout star Tessa Thompson as Monica, Comedian Tiffany Haddish as Phoebe and Jerrod Carmichael, Lil Rel Howery and Lakeith Stanfield playing the guys of the group, Ross, Joey and Chandler.

#BlackHogwarts Voldemort:"kill the spare" Cedric: pic.twitter.com/vw0RXFNn1P
— MAkbarD (@MAD4869) January 12, 2018

How Dobby was looking at Lucius when that sock fell out of Tom Riddle's diary #BlackHogwarts pic.twitter.com/hhiPRwCXjM
— Trevor Harris (PARK&RIDE) (@NikeRobot12) January 12, 2018