Things are finally getting moving on the anticipated Harry Potter TV series that Warner Bros. Discovery announced last year. New details about the show were recently revealed, so read on to learn everything to know about Max’s Harry Potter series, from the release date to the cast.
In April 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery announced the creation of a new Harry Potter TV series on Max. The series, which will be developed over 10 years across seven seasons, will be a “faithful adaptation” of the best-selling books from British author J.K. Rowling.
“We are delighted to give audiences the opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way,” Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, said in a statement. “Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and it is clear there is such an enduring love and thirst for the Wizarding World. In partnership with Warner Bros. Television and J.K. Rowling, this new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years.”
When Is The Harry Potter TV Series Coming Out On Max?
The Harry Potter TV series is slated to premiere in Max sometime in 2026. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced the news on the company’s Q4 earnings call on February 23, 2024.
Zaslav said he was in London a few weeks ago with HBO and Warner Bros. Television executives Casey Bloys and Channing Dungey to meet with Rowling about the show.
“We spent some real time with J.K. and her team,” Zaslav said on the call, per Variety. “Both sides are just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead. We can’t wait to share a decade of new stories with fans around the world on Max.”
Deadline reported in February 2023 that Warner Bros. invited creatives, including Martha Hillier, Kathleen Jordan, Tom Moran, and Michael Lesslie, to pitch ideas for the series. “It’s an interesting mix of Brits and Americans, most of whom have some experience working with streamers and many of whom have shepherded projects in the sci-fi/fantasy space,” the site wrote, according to sources.
Who Is In The Cast Of The Harry Potter TV Series?
Casting for the new Harry Potter series has yet to be announced. It was confirmed that the cast will be entirely new from the popular films starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.
Channing Dungey, chairperson of Warner Bros. Television, told Variety in January 2024 that casting the kids is their next step aside from hiring a showrunner. “The tricky part is the first two books, where the kids are on the younger end, around 11 or 12,” she explained.
Will Any Of The Original Cast Members Be Involved?
None of the Harry Potter actors are expected to return for the TV adaptation — at least not as the characters they portrayed. English actor Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in all eight Harry Potter movies, revealed that he’s “too old to play Neville again.” However, he said he would like to play a different character: Remus Lupin, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and werewolf.
“The character I enjoyed was Professor Lupin,” Lewis said at the Harry Potter panel at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida. He also honored the “incomparable David Thewlis,” who portrayed Lupin in the films. “If I was to have a go, that would be one that I’d do,” Lewis revealed.
As for the film’s lead star, Radcliffe told ComicBook.com in July 2024, “My understanding is that they’re trying to very much start fresh and I’m sure whoever is making them will want to make their own mark on it and probably not want to have to figure out how to get old Harry to cameo in this somewhere.”
Will J.K. Rowling Be Involved In The Harry Potter TV Series?
Yes, J.K. Rowling will be an executive producer on the Harry Potter TV series on Max. The controversial author has been criticized for comments she made about the trans community over the years. Stars from the Wizarding World, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Eddie Redmayne, have all spoken out against her statements.
Last year, Rowling responded to Harry Potter fans who said they planned to boycott the series because of her involvement. “Activists in my mentions are trying to organize yet another boycott of my work, this time of the ‘Harry Potter’ TV show. As forewarned is forearmed, I’ve taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne,” Rowling wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
During a Q&A session following Max’s presentation last year, Bloys declined to discuss Rowling’s personal views. “I don’t think this is the forum,” Bloys said. “That’s a very online conversation, very nuanced and complicated and not something we’re going to get into. Our priority is what’s on the screen.”
Bloys continued, “Obviously, the ‘Harry Potter’ story is incredibly affirmative and positive and about love and self-acceptance. That’s our priority: what’s on screen.”
Stay tuned to learn more about the new Harry Potter series on Max.
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