We'd heard some gossip around the Three Broomsticks a long time ago about the prospect of Harry Potter heading to the small screen. And it turns out that the shady wizard with the shabby robes was right, as there's a Harry Potter TV series release date on the horizon. Maybe that guy was from HBO?
Harry Potter fans across the globe will, by now, have watched the Harry Potter movies in order more times than Ron has said "bloody hell" – and that's a lot. Your favorite Harry Potter characters are coming back, but they'll look a bit different to last time. We've been in touch with the local Auror department, that Legilimens down the pub, and even braved the Forbidden Section in Hogwarts. Here's what we know.
Harry Potter TV series release date speculation
The Harry Potter TV series has a long way to go, so we think it will premiere to line up with the 30th anniversary of the first book in 2027.
The show was announced at a presentation by Warner Bros. Discovery to investors and the press in April 2023. Max exec Casey Bloys promised that the series will provide us all with the "opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way". So we're crossing our fingers that there might be more to this than just a straight remake of the best movies in the series. We've seen those already!
Producer David Heyman also told Total Film in September 2023 that there wasn't even a writer in place just yet, which is perhaps unsurprising given that the 2023 Writers Strike covered most of the year. He added: "Hopefully [it will be] something that's very special, and gives us an opportunity to see the books, and to enjoy a series which explores the books more deeply."
One thing we do know already is that the Harry Potter TV series will break a franchise tradition. David Yates, who has helmed every Potter and Fantastic Beasts movie since Order of the Phoenix in 2007, has ruled himself out.
Yates said: "I spent a long time at that school, in those corridors, and in those classrooms, and it was an exquisite experience and one I will always treasure. But to go back and do another year or two, for me, I feel I've left it."
Who's in the Harry Potter TV series cast?
We know that there will be a fresh cast for the Harry Potter TV series, as the originals are now too old to play their characters, though there might be some returning faces.
If we were to speculate, we imagine that the people running the show will follow the same formula as the movies and cast unknowns as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, while more established actors will play the Hogwarts professors and the Harry Potter villains.
We do know that Max will produce the show with help from Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television, as well as the original author of the Potter books.
Will the original Harry Potter cast be in the TV series?
None of the original Harry Potter cast are expected to return to the franchise at this time.
While the Harry Potter cast has previously spoken about potentially returning to the franchise in new roles, some of the original cast have distanced themselves from the franchise following comments made by the author about the trans community.
Daniel Radcliffe addressed the rumors about his return and said he's "definitely not seeking it out in any way". While that's not a denial, it does mean he's not going to be elbowing people out of the way to get one of the adult roles in the new version.
It would be a bit distracting, to be fair, if Sirius Black or Lupin suddenly looked like the Harry we all grew up with.
What is the Harry Potter TV series about?
Each season of the Harry Potter TV series will reportedly adapt one of the books. It's likely that the first season of the Harry Potter TV series will tell the story of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
The first book introduces Harry to his wizarding identity and immediately sends him deep into a web of conspiracy around the titular magical artifact, which is being concealed somewhere within his new school. Worse than that, this object could bring Voldemort, his parents' murderer, back to life.
From Heyman's comments, it's also clear that the extra time a TV series provides will allow for a deeper dive into the source material than what we got in the films. Good news for fans of Voldemort's back-story in Half-Blood Prince and the Deathday Party in Chamber of Secrets.
It has been suggested that the Harry Potter TV series would last a decade which means some of the books may be stretched out across multiple seasons, or they may adapt the Cursed Child as well. Here's what we know about the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie release date.
Is there a Harry Potter TV series trailer?
No, there isn't a Harry Potter TV series trailer and, unless you've got a Time Turner, it's going to be a long wait before we see any footage from the show.
But we want to give you something to watch, so here's the original Harry Potter cast speaking at their first-ever press conference. Look how young they are, and how old you feel watching it. Time is a cruel mistress.
Where can I watch the Harry Potter TV series?
The Harry Potter TV series will be exclusive to Max (the rechristened HBO Max) in the US. In the UK, the show may air on NOW and Sky, but that's dependent on Warner Bros not launching Max between now and when the Harry Potter TV series is ready to air.
How many episodes will the Harry Potter TV series have?
The Harry Potter TV series will have 9-12 episodes per season, in line with other HBO shows, unless the network pulls a big surprise on us.
That episode count seems more than enough to adapt Philisopher's Stone. As for the longer books at the tail end of the series, they might stretch over multiple seasons. Either way, we're more than ready.
Want to know more about Potter? We've got a guide listing all the known Elder Wand owners, as well as the Harry Potter spells we wish we could really do. You can also find out about the secret inspiration for the Deathly Hallows symbol and learn why we can't forgive the Harry Potter finale for the worst book change.
Finally, we've done our best impression of Professor Trelawney and looked into the future to bring you everything we know about the Fantastic Beasts 4 release date. We want some new movies from the Wizarding World, and we want them now.
The creator of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, has made a number of transphobic remarks on social media in recent years. If you'd like to learn more about transgender equality or lend your support, here are two charities we encourage you to visit: the National Center for Transgender Equality in the US and Mermaids in the UK.