The upcoming “Harry Potter” series on HBO Max has a lot it needs to overcome to be seen as more than just a cheap nostalgia play. For starters, it needs to circumnavigate mistakes J.K. Rowling made to the lore with the “Fantastic Beasts” prequels, and the actors need to stand out in the minds of fans compared to the solid performances across the board in the films. 

Thankfully, while Alan Rickman’s take on Severus Snape is a highlight throughout the series, there’s reason to be optimistic about what Paapa Essiedu, who was among the first crop of actors announced for the series, could bring to the role. If you don’t believe us, check out a stellar sci-fi series on Netflix, “The Lazarus Project,” to see what Essiedu can do. 

Essiedu plays George, a man who wakes up one day to discover himself in a time loop. He possesses a special gene that allows him to be aware of such time leaps, and he’s soon recruited into an organization that aims to avoid apocalyptic scenarios. If one such event occurs, then they reset the timeline to keep civilization going. Despite holding a 100% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, “The Lazarus Project” was cancelled after two series. 

That’s not stopping it from finding a new audience though. The show originally aired on the British channel Sky Max, but the second series was recently just added to Netflix. It was the sixth most-watched show on the platform for the week ending on July 30. Unfortunately, it does end on a cliffhanger that seemingly won’t get a resolution, unless it can become another show revived after cancellation. Even if it doesn’t, it’s worth watching to see why Essiedu is an exciting actor for Snape.

News of Paapa Essiedu’s casting as the new “Harry Potter” Snape was met with trepidation online. There was, of course, a very vocal chorus pointing out that Essiedu is Black, whereas Alan Rickman was white. There’s also the fact Essiedu is conventionally attractive, which seems to go against Snape’s description in the books where he has sickly skin and greasy hair. However, after watching “The Lazarus Project,” it’ll be clear of what could make Essiedu a great Snape, even if it’s one different from Rickman’s portrayal. 

His character, George, is a total lover boy. In the process of saving the world, his girlfriend Sarah (Charly Clive) dies, so he has a massive decision whether to endanger billions of lives for the sake of saving one. Essiedu runs the gamut of emotions upon stumbling onto this sci-fi world, from excited to trepidatious, and his performance can be downright gut-wrenching at times. Essiedu can carry those same feelings with him into Snape, holding onto the memory that the girl he loved most, Lily Potter, was killed, and his duty now is to ensure her son can stop Lord Voldemort. 

Before Essiedu landed the gig, many fan castings wanted Adam Driver as Snape, probably because he kind of looks like a young Rickman. There’s no doubt Driver would’ve killed in the part, but honestly, having someone else just riff on what Rickman did would be boring. Essiedu can bring more of that love-lost quality to the character, especially in the earlier seasons before we learn about Snape’s backstory. Though Essiedu may not have been on anyone’s fan casting card, he’s one of the more intriguing picks that could make this whole show worthwhile.