Get ready to return to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Following reports in early April, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed their plans for a brand-new Harry Potter series based on the best-selling novels of the same name during a presentation to press and investors on April 12.
"We are delighted to give audiences the opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way," said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO & Max Content in a press release.
"Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and it is clear there is such an enduring love and thirst for the Wizarding World. In partnership with Warner Bros. Television and J.K. Rowling, 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."
The series marks the latest onscreen adaptation of Harry Potter, which was first released in 1997 with the book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In addition to the popular eight-movie franchise starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, a spinoff prequel titled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them starring Eddie Redmayne was released in 2016, followed by two sequels, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).
An original play titled Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which premiered on the West End in London and later hit Broadway in New York City, also followed a grownup Harry, Ron and Hermione as their children attended Hogwarts.
While the Harry Potter films were a worldwide phenomenon during their initial release, the franchise has become embroiled in controversy in recent years. Author J.K. Rowling has come under fire after making comments widely condemned as anti-transgender in 2020, while the Fantastic Beasts franchise has been plagued by a series of controversies surrounding its key players, including Ezra Miller and Johnny Depp, the latter of which resigned from his role as villain Gellert Grindelwald after losing his libel case in the U.K. in 2020.
Read ahead for everything we know about the Harry Potter series so far.
What will the Harry Potter series be about?
Unlike other book-to-film adaptations such as The Hunger Games taking the prequel route with new releases, the upcoming series "will be a faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series," per an official press release from Warner Bros. Discovery.
The release adds that "each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally."
Will J. K. Rowling be involved in the Harry Potter series?
Despite her recent controversies, Rowling will be involved with the series to ensure its accuracy to her original storyline, Bloomberg reported in April. In their official press release, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that Rowling will serve as an executive producer along with Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts. David Heyman is currently in talks to executive produce.
Who is the showrunner of the Harry Potter series?
While Rowling will executive produce, she will not serve as the overall showrunner. During the April presentation, Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, said that the search for the show's showrunner has already begun.
"We have been trying to be very close to the vest," said Bloys, per Deadline. "We haven't gone out to agencies. We have our own internal process where we've been thinking about people but we have not wanted to go out into the world. Now that the news is out there, we will start working with the Blair Partnership and we'll start going out to the business."
Will the original Harry Potter cast members appear on the series?
It's unlikely that any of the original Harry Potter stars will return for the new series as Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that it "will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom."
Where can you watch the Harry Potter series?
The series will be part of a brand-new streaming service titled Max, which will combine HBO Max and Discovery+. Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans for the new service in April, confirming its launch date for May 23.
Per an official press release, Max will be the "destination for HBO Originals, Warner Bros. films, Max Originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, an expansive offering of kids content, and best-in-class programing across food, home, reality, lifestyle and documentaries from leading brands like HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, ID and more."
How many seasons will the Harry Potter series include?
The official press release from Warner Bros. Discovery confirms that the new show would be "a decade-long series," however, it's unclear just how many seasons that will entail.
Bloys noted that it would be up to the showrunner how to split up the seven books, but the first season would mostly revolve around Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, while potentially including bits from other books.
When will the Harry Potter series be released?
Though Warner Bros. Discovery didn't confirm a release date in their press release, Deadline reported that it could be aiming for a 2025/2026 premiere.
