Rupert Grint has officially passed the Hogwarts torch, and he did it with the kind of warmth fans would expect from the actor behind Ron Weasley. The Harry Potter alum, 37, revealed he personally reached out to Alastair Stout — the young actor stepping into Ron’s shoes — with a supportive note ahead of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter reboot.
Speaking to the BBC in November 2025, Grint shared that he wanted to welcome the next generation in a way that felt personal and encouraging. It’s a gesture that sets an optimistic tone for the new series as it moves closer to its 2027 debut.
Grint ‘Passes The Baton’ To Alastair Stout
“I wrote him a letter before they started, passing the baton as it were,” Grint said of Stout, who will play Ron in the new series for HBO and Max. “It was really just wishing him all the best with it. I had so much fun stepping into this world, and I hope he has the same experience… It’s quite strange to have the cycle happening again. I’m really intrigued about what it’s going to be like.”
Grint added that he sees a touch of continuity in Stout’s casting. “There’s a bit of family resemblance,” he noted, before stressing that the upcoming adaptation should stand on its own merits. “I think it’s great that it’s a whole new thing. It’s going to be its own thing, and I think that will be fun.”
The actor’s perspective underscores a healthy balance: honor what came before, but give the new cast the room to make Hogwarts their own. It’s a mindset that should resonate with longtime viewers as the franchise turns the page.
A New Trio Heads To Hogwarts In 2027
Stout will star alongside Dominic McLaughlin as Harry and Arabella Stanton as Hermione, forming the first on-screen trio since the original film saga wrapped in 2011. Their casting marks a true reset for the Wizarding World onscreen, with the series set to reintroduce the iconic characters for a new generation of viewers.
The Harry Potter reboot is expected to premiere on HBO and Max in 2027. While plot specifics and creative details remain under wraps, the project is positioned as a fresh series take on J.K. Rowling’s books, with the timing allowing the new ensemble to build its own identity while benefiting from the legacy that made the franchise a global touchstone.
Grint’s endorsement of the new leads adds goodwill to that relaunch. His comments suggest both curiosity and confidence — that the magic can still feel new, even for the actors who defined it in the 2000s.
Daniel Radcliffe Also Reached Out To The New Harry
Grint isn’t the only original star offering support. Daniel Radcliffe revealed on Good Morning America that he wrote a letter to McLaughlin as the new Harry, and received “a very sweet note back.” The original Boy Who Lived stressed that his message was meant to encourage, not overshadow.
“I don’t want to be a specter in the life of these children but I just wanted to write to him to say, ‘I hope you have the best time, and an even better time than I did — I had a great time, but I hope you have an even better time,’” Radcliffe said. “And I do, I just see these pictures of him and the other kids and I just want to hug them. They just seem so young. I just look at them and say, ‘Oh, it’s crazy I was doing that at that age.’ But it’s also incredibly sweet and I hope they’re having a great time.”
Between Radcliffe’s note to McLaughlin and Grint’s letter to Stout, the original cast is clearly rooting for the next class of Gryffindors from the sidelines. Their public support helps ease the pressure on the newcomers as they step into roles that shaped a generation of moviegoers.
Grint On Ron’s Enduring Shadow — And Why He’s OK With It
Grint has long acknowledged that Ron Weasley will always be a defining part of his career, and he reiterated that he’s comfortable with the association. “I’m fine with that. I think it’s great,” he said. “I love meeting people who really felt this was part of their childhood… I don’t think I’ll ever quite step out of his shadow, but I’m fine with that.”
It’s a candid perspective that mirrors how many fans feel about the original films: the stories are formative, and seeing a new generation take them on can be both surreal and exciting. Grint’s readiness to embrace that mix — pride in the past, enthusiasm for what’s next — captures the ethos of the reboot moment.
For Stout, McLaughlin, and Stanton, those blessings arrive just as the journey begins. With filming underway and the series gearing up for a 2027 launch, the trio will soon step into the spotlight as the first new Harry, Ron, and Hermione since 2011 — not as copies, but as fresh interpretations designed for an episodic format and contemporary audience.
Letters don’t guarantee success, of course, but they do signal a rare passing of the wand that feels uniquely Potter. As the Wizarding World prepares for its next chapter on HBO and Max, the franchise’s original stars aren’t just looking back. They’re helping the new cast look forward — and that might be the most magical sendoff of all.
