A few months ago, the head of Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed the importance of licenses for its business model and its reach. The studio, which boasts several popular culture icons under its banner, intends to revive two hits from the early 2000s: The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Regarding the former, a film dedicated to Gollum is currently in production. The company is taking new paths to expand the mythology of J.R.R. Tolkien, still with Peter Jackson producing but Andy Serkis directing.
For its part, the universe dedicated to the little wizard with glasses has already had its own spin-off in cinemas, and the result hasn't really lived up to expectations. To keep the brand alive, while minimizing the risk of failure, a series for Max is about to be released. In April 2023, Max (formerly HBO Max) officially announced the development of a new adaptation of J.K. Rowling's works. After eight films, between 2001 and 2011, Harry Potter will be making its way into our living rooms.
More than twenty years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione's first year at Hogwarts, played by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, a new generation of actors will bring the iconic trio to life. For HBO Max boss Casey Bloys, it's an opportunity to "dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans continue to love after all these years." Here's everything we know about the project.
10 years of magic guaranteed
When Warner Bros. decides to bring back a franchise as popular as Harry Potter, the company takes very few risks. Twenty-two years after Sorcerer's Stone, public interest is still there. The Max platform, a merger of HBO Max and Discovery, is confident in its new project and has not hesitated to announce ten consecutive years of exploring Hogwarts and fighting the forces of evil.
While it was rumored that each season would be inspired by a book, the platform seems to have in mind to make the journey last a little longer. This will allow the series to grow with its viewers, whether they are readers of the novels or not. HBO will undoubtedly hope to attract many fans, those who did not grow up with the film saga. With the magical world of J.K. Rowling as a backdrop—and her reputation as the main selling point for connoisseurs—the streaming service wants to create a buzz. It will surely be a case of grabbing the title of series of the decade, as did the adaptation of George R.R. Martin's novels.
We already know that the first season will have eight one-hour episodes, more than enough to immortalize all the events that were kept quiet before Chris Columbus's camera. This is especially true regarding the mischievous spirit Peeves, who will finally be able to invade our screens. He brings with him a host of spectral subplots. We can hope that his fear of the Bloody Baron will be evoked, to add a little density to the author's already rich imagination. Although his importance is relatively minor, Peeves is one of the characters whose stories punctuate Harry's adventures at Hogwarts.
When will it air?
While fans are already impatient—or dreading this new proposal from Warner—they'll have to wait a little while before discovering these new adventures in the wizarding world. The project is in early development; it won't be available on our screens in the coming months. Max must first go looking for the faces who will carry these seasons. The latest news suggests that 2026 or even 2027 is the planned release date. There's still a lot to do, and no casting announcements have been made.
With such a timeline, the creative teams now have just two years to begin production. Some of the work has been done, as it will involve taking advantage of the immense sets already used for the films. We can therefore expect filming to take place at Leavesden, where the Making of Harry Potter studios are currently located. However, the creators recently promised that their series would depart from the imagery of the films to better reinvent the wizarding world. This includes the use of real and completely new sets. Nothing too complicated, since the directors who followed one another in the direction had already managed to bring out very different aesthetics within the same saga.
What will it be about?
Rather than exploring the universe created by J.K. Rowling alongside new characters, Warner Bros opted for safety by adapting the bestsellers once again. The plot will therefore focus on young Harry Potter, who, following a visit from a tender-hearted giant, discovers that he is a wizard. He is also the chosen one, the only one capable of destroying Voldemort. At his side, his friends Ron and Hermione help him overcome many challenges.
While the story will obviously be similar to those in the films, viewers can already expect a few surprises. The various writers and directors of the film franchise had to leave out a few chapters, to keep it under the three-hour mark of mainstream entertainment. The series should have the opportunity to dwell on certain details that have been unfairly relegated to the background, or even abandoned. The Elf Liberation Aid Society founded by Hermione, for example, promises to be the subject of many discussions and arguments between the three friends.
But the part that should particularly interest viewers is the Marauders. In the third book, Harry discovers Lupin's curse and the reasons that led Sirius, but also Peter Pettigrew and James Potter to become Animagus. In any case, Warner Bros wants to reassure long-time fans that this new adaptation will be “faithful” to its source material. Casey Bloys says it will all be done “with all the care and craftsmanship required for this kind of franchise.”“
Who is involved?
While J.K. Rowling had very little impact on the development of the Hogwarts Legacy game, she makes a point of staying close to all adaptation projects. Unsurprisingly, the Harry Potter series is no exception. The author will act as executive producer. According to recent information shared by the head of Warner Bros. Discovery Studios, she will not influence the writing. While she acted as a screenwriter on Fantastic Beasts, Rowling will only have a consulting role this time.
David Heyman, who worked to bring the entire saga to life, which began in front of Chris Columbus's camera, has also joined the adventure.
After meeting with numerous creatives, who came to present their vision for this new adaptation, HBO has set its sights on a showrunner and a director. Francesca Gardiner, who worked on His Dark Materials and Succession, will have the difficult task of leading the adaptation of the seven volumes of the saga, guiding the writers so that they can capture all the twists and turns and elements that make up Harry Ron and Hermione's seven years of school. Behind the camera, Mark Mylod will direct several episodes. The director has already worked with HBO on numerous occasions, on The Last of Us and Game of Thrones, to name just two. He therefore has a certain mastery of large-scale productions.
The original cast returning?
When rumors of a return of the Harry Potter saga circulated, some of the actors had half-heartedly admitted to being ready to return. However, they needed the right project to agree to don their wizarding robes again. With this new series looking like a reboot, it seems rather unlikely that they will make an appearance. Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint will not return as the legendary trio, young actors will take over. The casting has not yet been announced, and probably won't be for a while. Warner Bros must indeed find the new faces to carry the Wizarding World banner high and win the love of viewers. On September 9, a casting call was published on Instagram. The company is looking for its trio of wizards, among British children aged 9 to 11.
As for the teachers, several names have already circulated. At the beginning of December, the name of Paapa Essiedu was mentioned for Severus Snape. According to sources close to the case, relayed by The Hollywood Reporter, the actor who became known to the general public with I May Destroy You has yet to give his answer. On April 14, 2025, Warner Bros. finally made part of its cast official. The new Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, and Hagrid are now known. John Lithgow, who had confirmed he would be taking part in the project, has indeed been given the role of the headmaster of Hogwarts. By recruiting the 79-year-old American, HBO is breaking the rule set by J.K. Rowling in the early 2000s. The author had required Warner Bros. to only hire British actors to portray her characters. The actor will face Janet McTeer in the role of Minerva McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor. Like Lithgow, her participation was already known to the press, but nothing had been confirmed by the studio. The British actress has made several notable appearances on the small screen, in the Netflix series Jessica Jones and in Kaos. In Great Britain, she also played an emblematic character of literary culture: Mrs. Dashwood in the BBC adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
The same goes for Paapa Essiedu, who will play Severus Snape. His recruitment was one of the first to be mentioned by the press, but the American network was not resolved to confirm or deny the rumors. The actor, who also appeared in Gangs of London, had made a strong impression in Michaela Coel's series, I May Destroy You. This performance earned him an Emmy Award nomination in 2020. For his part, Nick Frost will play the adorable Hagrid, Hogwarts gamekeeper and attentive ear for the three wizards. Simon Pegg's sidekick has a certain reputation in the field of comedy, he should put his good nature to the service of this character adored by readers and spectators. Like his companions, he has the heavy responsibility of bringing to life a new version of the hero formerly played by Robbie Coltrane.
The real surprise of this announcement lies rather in the more minor roles, including Professors Quirrel and Filch. The former will be played by Luke Thallon. He collaborated with Yorgos Lanthimos for The Favourite in 2018. He will have a crucial role in this first batch of episodes, which will adapt the events of the first novel. Finally, Paul Whitehouse has been entrusted with the role of Argus Filch. The cantankerous Hogwarts caretaker was once played by David Bradley.
Where will it be available?
Max is finally available in our green lands. Since last June, French audiences have been able to enjoy access to the platform's catalog. Discovery and its reality TV shows, the DC universe, and even Warner Bros. film productions—there's no shortage of licenses. Harry Potter occupies a prominent place, and the upcoming arrival of the series promises to put a new spotlight on the SVOD offering. Max will nevertheless be patient, and count on other series and films to attract many attentions. In any case, French audiences won't have to wait any longer than the United States, and that's already good news. See you in 2026 (at the earliest) and probably before to discover what this Harry Potter 2.0 saga is worth.
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