There has been rumbling about a Harry Potter show in development for a while now, but Warner Bros. Discovery has now confirmed that a Wizarding World show is indeed set to arrive on its Max streaming service — and it’ll be an adaptation of the books.
They didn't say much more about this upcoming Harry Potter TV series, though. We know it will be a “faithful adaptation” of the original novels, and that controversial-author J.K. Rowling is on board as an executive producer. And we’ve also got a very short teaser trailer. But otherwise, information is extremely thin on the ground.
However, if you’re eagerly awaiting the chance to revisit Hogwarts on the small screen, then here’s everything we know about the Harry Potter TV series that is set to arrive as a Max Original….at some point in the future.
Harry Potter TV series: trailer
Aside from a boilerplate press release announcing the existence of the series, the only other concrete nugget about this fresh take on Harry Potter’s adventures at Hogwarts is the above “Official Announcement” trailer.
The teaser is just 40 seconds long, and obviously features zero footage from the show (the camera are likely years away from rolling). But it does perhaps indicate that elements from the beloved Harry Potter movies will be incorporated into the TV show. That’s because the iconic “Hedwig’s Theme” by composer John Williams is featured, which is essentially the main theme of the movies, and the same logo as the feature films is also used.
These could be clues that certain familiar aspects from the movies will make a return in the series, but it’s also possible that these elements were used for this teaser trailer as new music and key art for the Harry Potter TV series hasn’t been commissioned just yet.
Harry Potter TV series: release date speculation
The Harry Potter TV series can be considered in pre-production right now. This is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, the development stage before full production begins. Because of this it makes even speculating about the release date of the show very tricky because pre-production can last anywhere from a few months to several years depending on the project.
There is no indication from Max as to when we can expect to see a new Harry Potter board the Hogwarts Express and begin his magical education at this early stage, but we think it’s safe to say that the show is at least three years away. The timeline could be longer or shorter, but we’d not bet many galleons on it arriving before 2026.
Harry Potter TV series: Cast information
We currently have no confirmed cast members for the Harry Potter TV series. Naturally, the internet is already exploding with fan castings, but there is no official word on who will be playing Harry Potter or any of the other colorful characters of the Wizarding World in this television adaptation.
Of course, whichever young actors step into the roles of the central trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger will have the unenviable task of measuring up to Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. Plus, it’s very hard to imagine somebody other than the late Alan Rickman portraying Severus Snape, the potion’s master.
While it seems unlikely that any of the cast from the movies will reprise their roles — although it’s not impossible — we suspect there could be at least a few cameos to delight diehard fans.
Harry Potter TV series: Outlook
The news that Warner Bros. is adapting the Harry Potter novels once again has proved surprisingly divisive. Hardcore Potterheads seem excited by the prospect, but there is also a degree of skepticism, especially considering the enduring popularity of the movies. In fact, our streaming editor argues the Harry Potter television series is "the worst idea ever."
However, as enjoyable as the movies remain to this day, there’s no denying that an awful lot of the source material was cut in order to squeeze each novel into a two-hour movie. A long-form TV show could be the perfect medium to tell these beloved fantasy stories in more detail and include all the plots and character arcs that never made the final theatrical cut.
It does feel like a missed opportunity to not explore the expanded Wizarding World beyond the adventures of Harry Potter. But considering the declining quality of the spin-off Fantastic Beasts series, perhaps it’s better that Max sticks with the familiar rather than attempting to tell new stories in this world.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for a distraction while we wait for more Harry Potter TV series details then the open-world RPG Hogwarts Legacy was recently released for PS5 and Xbox Series X and it's quite a magical gaming experience.
