Rupert Grint Pens Heartfelt Letter to New Ron in HBO Reboot

Rupert Grint has officially passed the wand. The original film Ron Weasley revealed he wrote a personal letter to 11-year-old Alastair Stout, the new Ron in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, wishing him luck as he steps into one of fantasy’s most beloved roles.

Speaking to the BBC, Grint said he wanted to “pass the baton” and hoped Stout has “the same experience” he did when he joined the franchise as a child. The new series, a page-faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, is set to introduce an entirely new trio to a generation that grew up with the films.

Passing the Hogwarts Torch

Grint, now 37 and a father of two, first played Ron at roughly the same age Stout is now. “It changed my whole life quite quickly,” he told the BBC, recalling how stepping onto set felt like stepping inside the books he already loved. He admitted he’ll probably never “step out of [Ron’s] shadow,” but says he’s “fine with that.”

Alastair Stout’s casting comes after a huge open call in 2024 that drew more than 30,000 young hopefuls worldwide, underscoring the intense pressure and excitement around HBO’s reboot. The series is planned as a seven-season run, with each season adapting one novel in order, a structure that has many book-first fans eager for a more text-accurate take than the original films offered (The Guardian).

Grint isn’t the only one reaching out. Daniel Radcliffe has also confirmed that he wrote to the new Harry, telling him he hopes the young actor has “an even better time” than he did on set, he shared on Good Morning America. Together, their gestures form a kind of unofficial blessing from the original Golden Trio.

A New, Book-Faithful Hogwarts Era

The HBO series is being developed with Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts and original film producer David Heyman attached, keeping it closely tied to the book canon’s longtime stewards (Yahoo). Filming is slated to begin in summer 2025, with a planned 2026 release window, meaning readers won’t have to wait too long to see a new interpretation of their favorite chapters brought to life (Business Standard).

Fan reaction to the new casting has been mixed but often cautiously optimistic, with many praising the promise of more book-accurate portrayals. At the same time, the Wizarding World is getting a broader refresh: full-cast Harry Potter audiobooks are scheduled to begin rolling out in late 2025, extending the franchise’s renewed focus on the original text.

For readers who discovered Hogwarts on the page, Grint’s letter is more than a sweet gesture. It symbolizes a handover between two eras of adaptation—one defined by blockbuster films, the other by the promise of a meticulous, chapter-deep series. With cameras set to roll and the next generation already studying their lines, the boy who played Ron first has made his feelings clear: the magic is ready to be shared.