The boy who lived is back.
HBO revealed the premiere date and trailer for its new “Harry Potter” series on Wednesday, offering the first look at the new version of Hogwarts, the fictional school for young wizards and witches. The show will premiere on HBO Max on Christmas Day.
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,” written and produced by Francesca Gardiner, was initially scheduled to debut in 2027. Mark Mylod will executive produce and direct several episodes. The show is intended to be a “faithful adaptation” of author JK Rowling's popular book series, Warner Bros. Discovery said in 2023 when announcing the series. Rowling will also serve as executive producer.
The trailer begins with Harry being shoved into his “bedroom,” a dark closet in the Dursley family home, and shows him being bullied by his spoiled cousin Dudley Dursley.
“Do you think you're anything special? There's nothing special about you,” Aunt Petunia says to Harry as she cuts his hair with kitchen scissors.
Not for long: Harry soon receives the fateful letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts. The trailer then shows the boy meeting Hogwarts groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid and traveling on the London Underground and the Hogwarts Express.
A montage shows Harry arriving at the magical school, receiving his wand and Nimbus broom, and meeting his new classmates, including Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Alastair Stout plays Ron Weasley.
(Aidan Monaghan/HBO)
Arabella Stanton plays Hermione Granger.
(Aidan Monaghan/HBO)
In an effort to introduce the “Harry Potter” franchise to younger audiences, the reboot will feature a new castwith Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger.
Other cast members include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.
Paapa Essiedu received racist death threats after being cast as Severus Snape.
(Lara Cornell/HBO)
Essiedu told the Sunday schedule in a recent interview that he has received racist abuse, including death threats, since he was cast as Snape, the secret potions professor originally played by the late Alan Rickman.
“We anticipate that there would be a lot of interest from everyone [the cast]”We talked to them about what to expect… but any kind of security that is needed is an unfortunate aspect of doing IP programs.” “We just try to be aware and monitor it.”
A decade ago, Noma Dumezweni was the subject of a similar racist backlash when she was cast as the adult Hermione Granger in the West End production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
Hans Zimmer and Bleeding Fingers Music, the composer collective he founded, will compose a new score for the series.
