Warner is relaunching Harry Potter as a series and filming a live-action adaptation for its streaming service Max, which will once again film all 7 fantasy books of the lightning bolt author with a new cast.
After years of speculation about a possible Harry Potter series, the US channel Max (formerly HBO Max) officially announced it in April 2023: not as an adaptation of the almost unfilmable play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but as a new edition of the 7 Harry Potter novels. We will keep you up to date on all developments until the start of the big fantasy series. Here you will find the following information:
Series launch
Key facts
first trailers & pictures
Cast & crew
Plot and source material
Controversies and criticism
Podcasts
Streaming start: When is the Harry Potter series coming?
In 2019, Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling announced that there were “no plans to develop the Harry Potter story as a TV series” and the rumors were also denied in 2021. It wasn’t until April 12, 2023 that the tide turned: after the third Fantastic Beasts film in 2022 fell far short of expectations and basically killed the Newt Scamander films, with even the director not believing the spin-offs would continue anytime soon, Warner and the Wizarding World looked for alternatives to hold on to the popular brand. This is how the Harry Potter remake in series form was born
(The Harry Potter book series is being remade as a series)
The planned series launch in 2026 was finally announced by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav (via Collider ) in February 2024. The Harry Potter series will then appear on the streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max). It is not yet known whether this will mean German exploitation on Sky/WOW or another channel, as is usual with other HBO series such as Game of Thrones.
The most important facts about the Harry Potter series at a glance:
7 books = 7 seasons: Each season of the new Harry Potter series will be based on a volume of J.K. Rowling’s original – from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (7).
A 10-year plan: The 7 seasons of the Harry Potter series are to be realized within a decade, not least so that the new young stars don’t age too quickly.
J.K. Rowling is not the driving creative force or screenwriter, but is behind the scenes as executive producer. Without her blessing, the Harry Potter series would not have been possible
First trailers & pictures for the Harry Potter series on HBO Max
Since the Harry Potter series is still at a very early stage, there are no images yet that provide first insights. To announce the series, however, HBO Max released a first teaser with floating candles, which announced the new edition via video to the familiar film music and Hogwarts silhouette
Cast and crew: The cast of the Harry Potter series
All that is known about those involved in the Harry Potter series is that, alongside Neil Blair (Fantastic Beasts) and Ruth Kenley-Letts (Strike), novelist J.K. Rowling will also be involved in the series as executive producer. Efforts were also made to bring back producer David Heyman, who already played a key role in the 8-part film series of the wizarding student.
Showrunners who will hold the series reins and directors who will direct the individual episodes have not yet been confirmed. At the beginning of 2024, several candidates applied to be the creative head of the Harry Potter series, including Francesca Gardiner as a particularly exciting finalist. In the meantime, the number of applicants has shrunk to 3 finalists.
All roles will be recast in the remake of the Harry Potter series. No actors or actresses have been cast yet, as a creator has to be found first and then the scripts have to be written. So there is still a long way to go before casting takes place. According to initial rumors, however, a more diverse cast is being sought. In other words, just like the character played by Noma Dumezweni in the play, Hermione could be played by a black actress in the series, for example.
More: Get the complete box set of all 11 previous Harry Potter films now
Are old Harry Potter film stars returning to the new series?
Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe said he always knew the books would be remade, but believed a guest appearance from him in them would “probably be weird”. Daniel Radcliffe ruled out his return to Harry Potter because the series makers were aiming for a reboot and he would not actively seek a cameo. Emma Watson also seemed unlikely to return as part of her career reorientation, although she had announced in 2009 that she would like to play Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter remake.
However, James Phelps and Oliver Phelps, as the former Weasley twins, have expressed interest in returning to the series, albeit on the condition that they take on new Harry Potter roles. Ginny actress Bonnie Wright, meanwhile, preferred to envision a fun return in a potential film adaptation of the play.
After Tom Felton’s dramatic career turnaround, an appearance from the Draco star in the Harry Potter remake is not unlikely. When asked specifically about a potential series appearance, Tom Felton sees himself in the role of his father Lucius Malfoy. His co-stars Jason Isaacs (Mr. Malfoy) and Matthew Lewis (Neville), on the other hand, jokingly recommended themselves for the roles of Dobby and Lupin.
Plot and template of the Harry Potter reboot
For those who don’t know the plot of Harry Potter, here it is in a nutshell: An orphan boy with a lightning scar grows up oppressed by his aunt’s family. At the age of 11, he learns that he is a wizard and is sent to the magical boarding school Hogwarts. While he finally makes real friends here with Ron and Hermione, he also has to face the truth that as a baby he brought down the powerful evil wizard Lord Voldemort … and that this conflict is far from over.
(Harry Potter’s adversary Voldemort)
Like the film series (2001-2011), the series will be based on the books by J.K. Rowling, each of which covers one year of Harry Potter’s life. These are the 7 volumes in chronological order, which you can also purchase as a collector’s slipcase or fat complete edition:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
There are also illustrated decorative editions of the first volumes that provide additional illustrations for the Harry Potter stories.
The opportunities for the new edition of the series lie above all in the inclusion of details omitted from the books (such as Peeves or Hermione’s house-elf bond). Or to correct criticized details such as the wrong hair of several Harry Potter characters. Will Harry get green eyes and Hermione bigger teeth this time? Harry Potter producer David Heyman explained :
We’re still at the very beginning. […] This will hopefully be something very special. The series gives us the opportunity […] to explore the books in more depth.
Meanwhile, fantasy rivals such as the Fourth Wing series are also planning to compete with Harry Potter. Even from Germany, a fantasy trilogy strongly reminiscent of Harry Potter is coming to the movies. Author J.K. Rowling is also set to adapt her fantasy children’s book sequel The Christmas Pig into a movie.
Before the Harry Potter series, the series will be re-released as a radio play.
A Harry Potter baking show called Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking will also be released in advance
Controversies and criticism of the Harry Potter series
With its longer narrative time and the episode and season structure, a series is actually the ideal format for a Harry Potter film adaptation. Nevertheless, neither Harry Potter 8 nor the series reboot were considered particularly creative ideas to breathe new life into the franchise. (Which Martin Scorsese, of all people, showed.) For Warner, however, the remake was probably the quickest and most reliable way to resurrect the wizarding world.
What do you want to see in the Harry Potter TV series? We asked fans at @wbtourlondon all about it in MuggleOnTheStreet – watch the full episode at https://t.co/0WUDzGcW3J! pic.twitter.com/DtxPIr5ftH
– Harry Potter (@harrypotter) May 8, 2023
In addition, the announcement of the Harry Potter series came at a critical time when the divisiveness between many fans and Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling had reached new heights following her trans-hostile comments. Stars such as Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe distanced themselves from her, widening the divide.
Criticism of the Harry Potter series also included the short distance to the film series (just over 20 years after it began and 10 years after the end of the first adaptation). The enduring popularity of the 8 cinematic adventures with their iconic locations and stars threatened to fall on the feet of the remake – either because it was too close or too far away. Would it be able to improve on the successful first film adaptation of the novel series?
Many fans saw the announcement, along with the familiar lettering, as an “act of desperation” and a rebooted milking of the Harry Potter brand, which thrives not least on merchandise sales.
Curiously, an unauthorized Indonesian Harry Potter film adaptation swam along undetected for a long time on the wave of the brand’s success as a low-budget series.
More: This is what the Harry Potter remake would look like as an animated series
Ranking: The silliest Harry Potter characters
Home cinema: The new Harry Potter film box set from the “Wizarding World Collection” is here
