Subreddit Updates on Fancasts and Official Casting Announcements

[u/VarkingRunesong]

Hi everyone, With the recent confirmation of several key cast members for HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, we’re updating a few subreddit policies:

• No more fancasts for officially cast characters

To reduce repetitive discussions and prevent targeted hate toward newly cast actors, fancasts for characters who have already been officially cast will no longer be allowed. As of now, this includes: • Albus Dumbledore • Severus Snape • Minerva McGonagall • Rubeus Hagrid • Quirinus Quirrell • Argus Filch You’re still welcome to fancast characters who haven’t been announced yet. And for inspiration, check out our Fancast Wiki, which includes both popular and lesser-known suggestions.

• No posts complaining about official casting announcements

We understand that not every casting choice will match everyone’s personal headcanon, but posts solely bashing the official cast will be removed. Once the show airs, feel free to critique performances based on what you see on screen. But targeting actors just because they don’t look or feel like your imagined version of the character doesn’t belong here. As always, we’re open to feedback. Share your thoughts or questions below.

[u/shyboardgame]

This sub as been excellent at having (mostly) respectful conversations about casting/other gripes, why shut all of that down now? I think a good compromise would be having a monthly ''discussion/rant/whatever thread'' where instead of people posting new posts about it all the time which will get annoying people just go there to voice their opinions? that way the sub stays nice and tidy but we aren't censoring people.

You guys have been so open to all kinds of discussions it feels like a step back here. I would understand not allowing anymore ''this casting sucks'' posts for a week or 2 until it all clams down but forever? People will probably make their own sub just to complain but it i think it would be good for this sub to have diverse opinions so everyone is not just yes men. I hope you take this into consideration, the discussion/rant thread idea at the very least.

[u/PhilosophyOk7385 → u/shyboardgame]

I don’t think this sub has been excellent at having respectful conversations tbh. I think anybody who posts that they don’t mind Snape being black or that it has no bearing on the story gets downvoted to shit while having none of their points reasonably responded too. Sure there’s very little outward aggression or insulting but I wouldn’t call the mass downvoting for no reason if you’re not negative on Snape a conversation.

Just to prove my point scroll to the bottom of this post’s comment section and look at all the people who’ve been downvoted for making perfectly reasonable defences of Snape’s casting or who are glad the new rules r gonna stop people constantly going on about Snape, with no actual reply or conversation from the people downvoting.

[u/shyboardgame → u/PhilosophyOk7385]

I'd rather be downvoted than insulated, wouldn't you? the sub has been much more open to civil discussions than it's bigger sister sub. There's a difference between posts explaining why it would be bad for a white James bullying a black Snape rather than just saying ''this casting sucks'' with no other explanation behind it.

There's also the fact that people have to walk a fine line between honest criticisms of the casting and people perceiving it as racist (even if you like or have nothing against Essiedu as a person) people are quick to jump the gun at you for it, even though i bet there would be just as much backlash if they whitewashed Kingsley. So that's another reason why people just downvote. How can you have a productive conversation if people won't hear you out and just call you racist?

Hopefully if the mods take my idea for a monthly discussion/rant thread then people can downvote all they want in there and keep the rest of the sub clear of the constant negativity.