Paapa Essiedu, who will take on the role of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter adaptation, has also joined Amazon MGM's mysterious new thriller film Tyrant. According to news announced this week, Essiedu is among the new cast members joining the project alongside Omar Apollo, Nara Smith, and Hudson Williams. Williams has recently landed significant roles, debuting in HBO's Heated Rivalry set to air in 2025.

Essiedu, who will portray Snape in HBO's new Harry Potter series, is set to make this long-awaited project one of the biggest series of 2026. While some fans have criticized this casting choice, it will be fairer to evaluate Essiedu's ability to carry on Alan Rickman's legacy once the series is released.

Among the initial cast members attached to the film Tyrant are Julia Garner (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), Demi Moore (Landman), and Charlize Theron, who can currently be seen in Netflix's hit series Apex. Although the plot details of the film, written and directed by David Weil, are kept under wraps, it is expected to be a thriller that carries the DNA of films like Whiplash (J.K. Simmons) and The Wolf of Wall Street (Leonardo DiCaprio).

It is still unclear whether Tyrant will hit theaters or go directly to a streaming platform, but the film is currently in production. Essiedu's transition from the Harry Potter series to a high-budget thriller project like Tyrant shows that the actor wants to prove himself across various genres and formats.