HBO has cast Molly Hewitt-Richards as Moaning Myrtle for Season 2 of its upcoming live-action Harry Potter series, which will adapt J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. With production filming back-to-back with Season 1 under the working title “Dark Train,” the series is slated for a Christmas debut on HBO Max, premiering the first season on December 25, 2026.
The Bottom Line
- The Casting: Molly Hewitt-Richards joins the Season 2 ensemble as the ghost Moaning Myrtle, stepping into a role originally played by Shirley Henderson in the movie franchise.
- The Production Timeline: Seasons 1 and 2 are filming back-to-back under the working title “Dark Train,” keeping momentum high as the franchise expands into episodic television.
- The Premiere Schedule: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will premiere on HBO Max on December 25, 2026, with subsequent seasons following the books closely.
Expanding the Hogwarts Halls for Season 2
As production churns forward on HBO’s adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s literary universe, the casting announcements continue to drop at a steady clip. According to reporting from Variety, the latest addition to the second season’s ensemble is Molly Hewitt-Richards, who will take on the role of Moaning Myrtle. Known for her work on projects like Code of Silence and Casualty, Hewitt-Richards steps into one of the wizarding world’s supporting characters.
In the original feature films, the perpetually gloomy fourteen-year-old ghost haunting one of the girls’ bathrooms was portrayed by Shirley Henderson. Henderson’s delivery left a mark on fans, even with limited screen time. Bringing the character into a serialized television format offers a distinct shift in pacing. The episodic structure gives the creative team considerable room to build out the atmospheric dread and school gossip surrounding Myrtle’s 1943 demise at the hands of the Serpent of Slytherin.
A Star-Studded Ensemble Takes Shape
The addition of Hewitt-Richards is just one piece of a rapidly expanding puzzle for the sophomore outing of the series, which adapts Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The production is utilizing a back-to-back filming schedule under the working title “Dark Train,” following a writers’ room that had already been active since the previous November after the project’s greenlight in May.
Season 2 has stacked its roster with notable talent. Kit Harington is set to portray Gilderoy Lockhart, while Lenny Rush takes on the role of Dobby the house-elf. Meanwhile, Billy Barratt joins as Tom Riddle, and Katherine Parkinson steps into the role of Mrs. Weasley. There is also a notable recast on the horizon: Bonnie Hill will take over the role of Ginny Weasley, replacing Gracie Cochrane, who departed the production due to unforeseen circumstances following Season 1.
| Character | Actor | Notable Prior Work |
|---|---|---|
| Moaning Myrtle | Molly Hewitt-Richards | Code of Silence, Casualty |
| Gilderoy Lockhart | Kit Harington | |
| Dobby | Lenny Rush | |
| Tom Riddle (Young) | Billy Barratt | |
| Mrs. Weasley | Katherine Parkinson | |
| Ginny Weasley | Bonnie Hill | Entering the role for Season 2 |
Streaming Strategy and the Road to December
This television adaptation is being positioned for HBO Max. While the original feature films remain touchstones of pop culture, this new series aims to mine the lore of the novels over multiple seasons. Dominic McLaughlin leads the cast as Harry Potter, alongside Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger.
Because HBO is shooting the first two seasons concurrently, the gap between narrative arcs is expected to shrink compared to traditional multi-year streaming turnarounds. With Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone locked in for a high-profile Christmas Day premiere on December 25, 2026, industry expectations point toward a potential 2027 window for Season 2. As the production machine rolls onward, the real test will be seeing how this fresh generation of actors and creatives reinterprets a world that millions of fans already know by heart.
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