In mid-April 2023, HBO officially announced a new Harry Potter that is set for production beginning in June 2025. According to Business Insider, the TV series had originally been set to release on HBO’s streaming service, Max. However, Variety later found that the series would be branded as an HBO original instead. The show is set to come out in 2026.
The series will cover a book per season throughout the TV series, which projects that there will be seven seasons. The first season will adapt Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, the first book in the series. The series follows Harry Potter, a young wizard, and his friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, who all attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They form a close friendship and find themselves on many adventures as they adjust to the magical world.
Many of those involved with the show have said they want to go “in-depth” with the TV series. They plan to take on the books and movies in a new way, but in a way that does not take away from the nostalgia and beauty of the original pieces.
It is currently being reported that the show will start filming this summer in Leavesden according to Deadline. The show will be an adaptation of all seven of the iconic books written by JK Rowling. Rowling is set to be part of the new series, serving as one of the executive producers. In a statement to Deadline, she said, “Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long-form television series.”
Mark Mylod and Francesca Gardiner will also serve as executive producers and have promised to create a “faithful adaptation” of the books. They also promised that the show would go deeper than ever with the books. This includes characters and locations not seen in the original movies. According to an article on Pottermore, Mylod and Gardiner stated “We’ll get to have some fun with Peeves in the corridors!”
As for who has currently been cast in the show, it remains unclear. It was reported that over 30,000 children auditioned for the roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione meaning there are many options for the golden trio. Although still unofficial, John Lithgow is currently in talks of being set to play the mystical headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.
The series is sure to be a hit among Harry Potter fans, especially those who have read the books and would have liked to see more detail in the original movie adaptations. As previously mentioned, the series is set to begin streaming on Max in 2026. Although, when exactly in 2026 is unknown. Fans of the series await in anticipation for this new take on the Wizarding World!
