Harry Potter HBO show: Cast details, release year, plot, more
Warner Bros.Harry Potter will return to TV screens in an upcoming TV show, set to air exclusively on HBO. But what’s the focus, who’s playing the lead roles, and when does it all come out? Here’s everything we know thus far.
There’s no denying that even now, there’s still a market for a series set in Harry Potter‘s Wizarding World.
Some fans have been calling for a new TV show since the last of the Harry Potter movies, Deathly Hallows Part 2, released in 2011, and now, their wish is being granted.
Eventually, another adaptation of the Harry Potter books was confirmed — and met with a mostly negative response. Here’s what’s been announced about the series so far.
Does the Harry Potter TV show have a release date?
The Harry Potter TV show will be released on HBO in 2027.
MaxThe show was announced as part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s presentation on April 12, 2023, primarily to reveal that HBO Max and Discovery+ would merge into a new streaming service named Max.
Originally, the show was planned to release in 2026, though a significant delay was announced at the tail end of 2024. Describing it as a “10-year journey” for the cast and crew, Warner Bros’ JB Perrette claimed it might end up being “the biggest event” in the world by the time it comes out.
Filming is set to begin mid-summer 2025, and given the scope of the series, could last a good many months.
Warner Bros. Disvoery CEO Zaslav previously told investors the series was eyeing a 2026 release on Max. However, the show has now pivoted as part of a streaming shake-up, with both Harry Potter and the IT prequel Welcome to Derry moving from Max to HBO, as reported by Deadline.
Francesca Gardiner is confirmed to be the series showrunner, with Mark Mylod serving as an executive producer and director of multiple episodes.
Who’s in the Harry Potter TV show cast?
No cast members have officially been announced for the Harry Potter TV series, though a few early reports have linked certain actors with key roles.
First, there were rumblings around the role of Dumbledore. Variety reported Mark Rylance was being eyed as the top choice.
Next, the role of Professor McGonagall came into the spotlight. Ozark star Janet McTeer is reportedly the leading candidate, according to Feature First.
Most recently, British actor Paapa Essiedu was eyed to take on the role of Professor Severus Snape, per The Hollywood Reporter’s sources.
For now, take all these names with a grain of salt as ink hasn’t dried on any contracts just yet. But should HBO gets its way, those are the stars leading the charge on the new adaptation.
As for the likes of Voldemort, and of course, the trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron Weasley, no actors have yet been linked to these iconic characters. However, we do know roughly 32,000 children auditioned for the younger roles, with a team watching between 500-1,000 every day.
Are any original actors returning in the Harry Potter TV series?
The original Harry Potter cast will not be the stars of the TV show. Some supporting cast could return or cameo but it’s unlikely.
Warner Bros.A press release confirmed the series will have a “new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much-loved characters, and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years.”
Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint have publicly spoken out against JK Rowling’s views on transgender people, so don’t hold your breath waiting for those actors to appear.
As for the original supporting cast, there’s a chance they could appear in some capacity, likely in cameo-style roles. But given this would muddy the canon and make things confusing for no good reason, we don’t expect it to happen.
Harry Potter TV show plot: What is it about?
The Harry Potter show will last 10 years and faithfully adapt all seven books, following Harry, Ron, and Hermoine at Hogwarts and beyond.
Max previously said it will be “produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for… each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”
According to Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, it will be a “faithful adaptation.”
As well as allowing for the story to be told on screen in more depth than the movies, it also paves the way for a new generation of actors to grow up in their roles as the original kids did.
Warner Bros.In many ways, TV, as a long-form format, makes sense for a long book series like Harry Potter. Television is the home of long character arcs, expansive world-building, and natural character development. There’s more time to tell more story.
The drawbacks are in the budget and scope. Even the most expensive TV series typically won’t visually stand up to a big blockbuster. While the first couple of Harry Potter movies can be hammy in their effects, much of the film series was shot on-location, and the CGI improved with every entry.
While even the best movies couldn’t go into depth to the same degree a long TV series can, they were beloved by fans and well-received by critics. Holding a candle to their legacy will be hard. Not to mention the retreading of the same major story beats.
Is there a Harry Potter TV show trailer?
There’s an announcement teaser for the Harry Potter TV show but no full trailer yet.
If the series does release in 2026, then late 2025 would be a good appreciation for a full trailer.
The announcement video revealed the logo for the show, which is the same as the movies. It also features the theme, composed by John Williams, just like the movies.
How to watch the Harry Potter TV show
The Harry Potter TV show will broadcast exclusively on HBO in the US in 2027.
It’s not clear how this will impact the worldwide release of the Harry Potter TV show.
Harry Potter TV show rumors and fan casts
Fans have been suggesting Cillian Murphy as Voldemort, Andrew Scott as Snape, and Gillian Anderson as Professor McGonagall for the Harry Potter TV show.
Warner Bros.While many fans have expressed concerns over the inevitable failure to recapture the magic of the series and the attachment to the actors, others have been trying to fill the roles with a few proposed casting ideas.
MyCast is a great website to visit if you’re looking for fun fan casts, as people can vote for actors. The children will almost certainly be unknowns given the young age they need to start the series at, so the adults in the story are more exciting to consider from a fan-casting perspective.
We think these ideas stand out and have a good number of votes.
Our Harry Potter fan cast:
- Cillian Murphy as Lord Voldemort
- Jared Harris as Albus Dumbledore
- Andrew Scott as Severus Snape
- Gillian Anderson as Minerva McGonagall
- Nick Frost as Hagrid
- Olivia Colman as Dolores Umbridge
- Lashana Lynch as Poppy Pomfrey
- Sophie Okonedo as Aurora Sinistra
How many seasons of the Harry Potter TV show will there be?
The Harry Potter TV show is expected to have seven seasons, one per book. This is unconfirmed.
Max previously said it will be a “decade-long series,” which fits with the timeline of seven seasons when breaks between filming and any potential delays are accounted for.
Is JK Rowling involved in the Harry Potter TV show?
JK Rowling is an executive producer on the Harry Potter TV show, so is involved financially and creatively, to some degree.
HBO has vehemently defended her involvement too, claiming the production will “only benefit from her involvement.”
Wizarding World is a trademark of Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. She is compensated for content that uses the world and characters and is often creatively involved, as is the case here.
Some fans say they will not watch it for that reason.
For more Harry Potter houses and lore, find out how to watch the Harry Potter movies, or learn about Horcruxes and if Harry Potter is on Netflix.
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