13 years have passed since the release of the last “Harry Potter” film. Now HBO wants to remake the famous story – this time as a series. You can find out everything that is known about this project so far here on MeinMMO.
The success of Harry Potter is undeniable. With 120 million copies sold, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” is one of the most successful books worldwide (via wordsrated). And the films also inspired millions of people worldwide.
Even beyond that, the “Wizarding World” franchise continued to grow. Prequel films, a play, numerous PC games – Harry Potter is available in almost every medium. Only one series was missing. But HBO now wants to change that.
What kind of series is this? The new “Harry Potter” series was officially announced in April 2023. This will be a complete remake of the seven novels.
The whole thing is implemented by the US broadcaster HBO, which is also known for successful series such as “Game of Thrones”, “The Sopranos”, “True Detective” and “The Last of Us”.
Is there a trailer yet? There is no real trailer yet. HBO announced the new project in a short teaser, accompanied by nostalgic music:
“Harry Potter” series: plot
No details about the plot have been officially announced yet. However, we know that the series will be based heavily on JK Rowling’s novels. Accordingly, the plot should largely correspond to the well-known story of Harry, the boy with the lightning scar.
This should particularly please fans of the books. Because a series offers the opportunity to simply adopt more scenes from the original. In film versions, many details often have to be left out due to the short time frame.
Casey Bloys, CEO of HBO and Max, promises a “faithful adaptation” of the books in an interview (via deadline):
This new one […] series will delve deep into each of the iconic books that fans have celebrated for all these years.
Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav revealed in an interview (via thewrap):
We can’t wait for a decade of new stories with fans around the world […] to share.
What exactly that means is not yet known. If there is new information, we will add it here.
“Harry Potter” series: start and duration
When does the “Harry Potter” series start? An exact release date is not yet known. However, filming is scheduled to begin in summer 2025. The start of series production is planned for 2026.
How many seasons will there be? The series wants to devote a season to each of the seven novels. Accordingly, there will be a total of seven seasons.
Where can you watch the series? In the USA, the series will be shown on Max (formerly HBO Max), the streaming provider from Warner Bros.
Max is not yet available in Germany. However, that is set to change in the next two years. If the new competitor from Netflix and Co. sticks to this plan, Harry Potter will probably also be shown on Max in Germany.
Until now, HBO series have mostly been shown here on Sky, or its streaming service WOW, or RTL+. However, the respective contracts appear to expire at the end of 2025. How exactly things will continue after that is not yet known.
“Harry Potter” series: cast
One of the most difficult points is probably casting the new actors. Many are so used to Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry, Ron and Hermione that they can hardly imagine other faces for the roles. And the same goes for many of the supporting characters.
Are old actors returning? For most roles, using old actors is out of the question. It’s been 23 years since the first film was released. The actors are now simply too old for their roles at the time, or have unfortunately already died.
Daniel Radcliffe himself made it clear that he will not be taking part in the new series and is very happy about that.
Are any actors already known? Currently, no actors have been officially confirmed by HBO. However, there are now rumors about different line-ups. An open casting call that was published in September 2024 (via castittalent) gave us the first clues. We were looking for new faces for the three main roles: Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Applicants had to meet the following criteria:
As far as external appearance is concerned, no special requirements were imposed. They also seemed open to a more diverse cast. At least the casting call contained the following addition:
We are committed to inclusive, diverse casting. We are looking for a qualified actor for every role, regardless of ethnicity, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender identity […].
Who are the actors? Insiders report some actors that HBO is probably considering as favorites for various roles. So far, however, these are just rumors that don’t necessarily have much to do with the final cast.
“Harry Potter” series: showrunner, director, producers, location
We already know a little more about the team behind the camera. There are many well-known names there. A downer for some: Author JK Rowling is also said to be involved in the series. She was recently sharply criticized for various comments about transsexuality. However, it is not yet clear how involved she will ultimately be in the series.
Showrunner:
Director (several episodes):
Producers:
The strong crew behind the series gives hope for a successful new adaptation. JK Rowling herself also thinks so. Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod both have a “real passion for Harry Potter”. After reading the script of the pilot episode and hearing Mark’s vision, Rowling was sure: “[…] the series will more than meet all expectations” (via X).
Where is filming taking place? Just like the “Harry Potter” films, the new series will now also be shot at the “Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden” in London. So it could be that parts from the known sets are reused. However, this has not been confirmed.
Many “Harry Potter” fans remain skeptical. Can the high expectations ever be met? Is a new edition even necessary, despite generally successful film adaptations?
How do you see that? Are you looking forward to the new series, or are you more critical of it? Feel free to write it to us in the comments. If you prefer to watch the films instead, we have all the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films in the ultimate ranking for you here: All 11 Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films in the ranking – which one is the best?