HBO Max Is Moving Forward With 'Harry Potter' Series — What's the Release Date?
Published April 13 2023, 3:13 p.m. ET
A 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' poster in a Paris railway station in 2007
Despite J.K. Rowling’s controversial past comments that have plagued her legacy and rightfully landed her among other contentious celebrities, HBO Max is moving forward with a Harry Potter series based on the author’s acclaimed seven-novel series. The show, which has already become the subject of widespread backlash, will reportedly be a faithful adaptation of her novels.
What do we know about the show so far? What is the release date, and will any original cast members appear in the series?
HBO Max’s ‘Harry Potter’ series will reportedly run for “10 consecutive years.”
According to Deadline, HBO Max’s Harry Potter will reportedly run for “10 consecutive years,” despite earlier reports that suggested each season would follow a separate book, resulting in a seven-year run. The Fantastic Beasts narrative will not factor into the series.
It’s likely that the longer books will receive more than a season each, as some of the later installments are well over 200,000 words long, while The Sorcerer’s Stone runs just over 75,000 words and The Chamber of Secrets comes in at just over 85,000 words.
Just like the original film series, the show will follow “the boy who lived…come to die.”
HBO Max (which recently announced its name change to Max) tweeted on April 12, “Your Hogwarts letter is here…Max has ordered the first ever #HarryPotter scripted television series, a faithful adaptation of the iconic books. #StreamOnMax.”
It looks like Harry Potter will team up with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley once again to destroy he who must not be named, but when will the show premiere?
What is the release date for the Harry Potter series on HBO Max?
While an official release date has yet to be announced, the series is expected to air sometime between 2025 and 2026.
Warner Bros. is likely expecting Harry Potter to be the biggest draw to its streaming service (which is currently undergoing a major rehaul) to date. Let’s not forget that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 grossed over $1 billion at the box office back in 2011, and most of the other installments grossed over $900 million.
Who will be in the cast of the ‘Harry Potter' show?
At of this writing, HBO Max is still looking for a showrunner to helm the series, and we are far from casting announcements. However, new actors will portray all of the primary characters.
As for whether any familiar faces will appear in the series, this remains up in the air. Back in 2022, Radcliffe stated that he did not wish to return to Harry Potter, telling The New York Times:
“I’m getting to a point where I feel like I made it out of Potter OK and I’m really happy with where I am now, and to go back would be such a massive change to my life…I’m never going to say never, but the Star Wars guys had like 30, 40 years before they went back. For me, it’s only been 10. It’s not something I’m really interested in doing right now.”
While Radcliffe noted he wouldn’t say “never,” his appearance seems a bit unlikely. However, with so many actors from the original series still working in the biz, it would be shocking if one or two didn't make their way into the reboot.
Be sure to check back for updates surrounding the upcoming Harry Potter series on HBO Max.