Image: Max
It’s now official: There will be a live-action TV series of Harry Potter. You can read here when the series will start and who is involved in the production.
For a long time, there were no official plans for a new adaptation of the world-famous Harry Potter book series – until 2024. In February, David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, announced a live-action TV series. It will be available on Max (formerly HBO Max: Game Of Thrones, House Of The Dragon). This raises many questions, which we, of course, want to answer for you here!
Premiere Of The Harry Potter Series
First things first: When will the series go online? Well, unfortunately, curious fans will have to wait quite a while, as the series premiere is planned for 2026. Understandably, because not even the casting is set yet, let alone the production of an entire season. By the way, there will be one season per book, resulting in a total of seven seasons. The story of “The Philosopher’s Stone” will be the first, this time with more room for details and insights than could be achieved in a standard-length movie. How well this will be implemented remains to be seen!
Is J.K. Rowling Involved?
The author of the Harry Potter books, J. K. Rowling, has given her approval for the planned series, just as she did for the original films, and will also be involved as a producer. However, she will not be part of the creative team or work on the script. Apparently, she supports the project and believes in its implementation, as she wrote on X:
“I am delighted to announce our director and screenwriter, both of whom I interviewed as part of the production team. Both have a true passion for Harry Potter, and after reading Francesca’s script for the first episode and hearing Mark’s vision, I am confident the series will more than meet expectations.”
First Teaser
In 2023, Max already released a first teaser for the upcoming series, which, however, does not offer any insights into new characters, plotlines, or the like. The familiar Harry Potter title logo can be seen, with Hogwarts in the background. The floating candles also do not provide any real insight into new ideas. We will have to wait for a teaser from a more advanced production stage.
Casting: New Actors Or Old Stars?
Obviously, a new adaptation of the book series will require new actors, especially new young stars. An appearance by familiar faces in older roles is not ruled out but is unlikely in many cases. There are no casting results to mention yet. However, there are speculations, especially for main roles and fan favorites. Toby Woolf, for example, is among the candidates the world can imagine as Harry Potter himself. Adam Driver is also being discussed for the role of Professor Snape, known for films like “Star Wars” and “House of Gucci.” It will certainly be very unusual to see all our favorite characters with new faces – but we remain excited!
