The new book-to-screen adaptation of the Harry Potter novels is one of the most anticipated projects on the horizon, but not all of that attention has been positive. As excitement builds, so too has a darker side of fandom, including real, explicit threats against cast members like the death threats that were made against actor Paapa Essiedu, who’s set to take on the role of Professor Severus Snape. According to HBO, this is something they’ve been preparing for from the start.
HBO's CEO, Casey Bloys, told Variety that the production has been preparing for this exact scenario from the start. They anticipated strong reactions and took steps early to protect the people involved, according to Bloys:
