Calling all Potterheads. HBO Max officially announced a reboot of its iconic Harry Potter series this spring, and the Internet had quite a bit to say about it (including a planned boycott). Rumors of a proposed Harry Potter series have been circulating for a while, but the platform finally confirmed the news on Twitter, stating that episodes will be released on the new Warner Bros. Discovery platform "Max", which will replace HBO Max on May 23.
HBO Max's tweet included a brief teaser trailer of the new television series, but the video didn't give much insight into what it may hold (aside from nostalgia for the original Harry Potter movie series, which concluded its eight-movie run in 2011). J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts will serve as executive producers on the show, and there's even some chatter that David Heyman, executive producer for all Harry Potter movies, could join the team.
“This new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years,” said Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max, Casey Bloys, per Deadline. He added that the show would be “a faithful adaptation.”
The Harry Potter franchise has been active in the years since the last movie came out—from the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play (which was made into a book, and is in talks for a film adaptation), the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them film series (which follows the fictional historical figure Newt Scamander), and a recently-launched video game called Hogwarts Legacy.
This will, however, be the first *official* remake of the original movies, which stared Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, a.k.a. Harry, Ron and Hermione. Here's everything to know (so far) about the upcoming Max series.
The full series is expected to be released over a decade.
Similar to the original Harry Potter films, which ran from 2001 to 2011, the upcoming Harry Potter series is expected to be released over the next 10 years. Given the proposed timeline, each season will likely center around one of the Harry Potter books—which include seven titles, released between 1997 and 2007.
It will likely start airing some time in 2025 or 2026, per USA Today.
What will happen in the series?
The reboot aims to give a new generation of Harry Potter fans a chance to "discover Hogwarts in a whole new way," says Casey Bloys, the chairman and chief executive of HBO and Max content, per The New York Times.
The upcoming series also aims to be a "faithful adaptation" of the Harry Potter novels, per a statement obtained by The New York Times. This probably means Harry Potter fans will finally get to meet the Hogwarts Poltergeist, Peeves, and see Hermione's House Elf activism in Book 4 (these were left out of the movies).
The series will be released on the new Max platform, and will be available internationally.
When does the new series air?
There's still no word on when production would start for the Harry Potter remake or when it would be released.
Given that most shows on HBO Max have about two years between seasons, it's unlikely the new Harry Potter series would hit the streamer before 2025, but perhaps they will use a Time Turner on set and finish it more quickly.
Who will be in the cast?
It's unclear if the show has been cast yet, so the full cast list remains to be seen, but execs have said it will feature an entirely new cast.
Still, fans excited for the upcoming series have responded on social media with cast theories (which include Adam Driver as Snape and Tom Felton as Lucius Malfoy—I'm not sure about that!).
Check back in for more details soon.
Is there a trailer yet?
Nope. Also no trailer, aside from the announcement from HBO Max. You can be sure that as soon as one drops, it'll be right here waiting for you.
J.K. Rowling is expected to be an executive producer.
J.K. Rowling, author and creator of the original Harry Potter novels, will have a hand in the new series.
"Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long-form television series,” J.K. Rowling said in a statement, per The New York Times.
Rowling served as a producer on the final two installments of the Harry Potter films, and the first three films in the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them series (and will continue for the next two installments), per IMDb.
Some fans have called for a boycott.
The Max remake, and particularly Rowling's involvement in it, have been met with some mixed feelings online. Some have criticized the show as a clear play for more cash, and expressed doubt about how quickly a 7-season show can be cranked out. But most complaints stem from ongoing resistance to J.K. Rowling's transphobia. Rowling maintains that she is not transphobic, but she often contradicts herself in her statements and public comments.
Rowling recently responded on Twitter, writing: “Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work, this time of the Harry Potter TV show... As forewarned is forearmed, I’ve taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne,” she wrote.
In 2020, Rowling began making anti-transgender remarks publicly, which led many fans to "cancel" and denounce her.
The Harry Potter cast has spoken out against Rowling's statements, per Variety. Daniel Radcliffe, who ICYDK starred as the titular role in the original films, released a full statement responding to J.K. Rowling's transphobia in June 2020 through the Trevor Project website. The Trevor Project is a nonprofit organization that primarily serves as a crisis intervention platform for at-risk LGBT youth. Earlier this year, Radcliffe hosted a roundtable for trans youth through the organization.
In 2022, Rowling was noticeably absent from the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Special: Return To Hogwarts. The author claimed she declined the invitation because she felt it was "about the films more than the books quite rightly," per Variety. Later that same year, Radcliffe also said he was uninterested in revisiting his Harry Potter role, per The New York Times, because not enough time has past since the last Harry Potter film was released.
If you need your Harry Potter fix now, you can watch the films on Peaco*ck and HBO Max. After all, the last time anyone got new HP content was over a decade ago.
Olivia Evans
News Editorial Assistant
Olivia Evans (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. Her work has previously appeared in The Cut and Teen Vogue. She loves covering topics where culture and wellness intersect. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, running, and watching rom-coms.
