We've all seen the eight movies entailing Harry, Ron and Hermione's (often disastrous) adventures, but HBO Max has recently announced a new TV series in the making. They've confirmed that HBO will follow the books written by JK Rowling and stay true to them while creating the new TV show. Here's all the news we've got so far on this exciting new series.

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Casting

No, we still don't know the actors playing the beloved Golden Trio. What we do know is this: a casting call for the three roles was sent out September 8th, 2024. It's been reported that 32,000 auditioned.

There were certain guidelines for auditioning, though. Similar to J.K.'s “only British actors” rule while casting actors for the original 8 films, actors must be residing in the UK or Ireland. Additionally, they must be between the ages of 9-11 years old in April 2025.

While casting for the original 8 films, the rule requiring only British actors was strictly enforced. Robin Williams, an American candidate famously known for Jumanji (1995), was turned down for the role of Hagrid for this reason.

What about Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, the original trio from the films? Radcliffe has already stated he's not participating in the new series; as for Watson and Grint, neither have commented so far on whether they'll make a return for the series.

Pssst…Peeves has been teased to be in the series, so we can (probably) expect the prankster to come to the screen!

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What's It About?

The HBO Max series will follow the books, just like the movies did, as confirmed by Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content. However, unlike the movies, the TV show will likely delve into more detail that was omitted from the movies. The differences between the books and movies are countless, but it's easy to say many fans wish the movies were more detailed.

Fantastic Beasts, the spin off prequel to the Harry Potter series, has been confirmed that it will not be adapted into the HBO Max TV show.

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Who's the Director?

Francesca Gardiner, producer of Succession, will be the writer for the HP TV series. Alongside her is Mark Mylod, a 2-year producer of Lord of The Rings, who will be serving as director. It's worth noting that they both worked on Succession together, which can hint to better chemistry and collaboration while creating the new Harry Potter series.

Where and When Is It Releasing?

HBO has announced they'll start filming in the summer of 2025. Again, Casey Bloys comments on the date which it will be released, suggesting it'll be out for fans to watch on HBO Max in either 2026 or 2027.

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Similar to Percy Jackson, HP fans expect the Harry Potter books to each have their own season, suggesting the making of 7 seasons. However, the series has been announced to be a 10 year project, which defies this common fan speculation. As Fantastic Beasts won't be featured in the TV series, there's no telling what a 10 year project could entail.

The Fans' Reactions

Although many fans are excited for this TV series, some have also expressed their doubts, and even worries about HBO's intentions.

Frustration about the TV series following the books has already arose. Grant Greenly, a Youtube entertainment creator with over 11k subscribers, says that "Because you already have movies that somewhat follow the book series...you're forced to follow the books, word for word in the TV series, otherwise no one will enjoy it."

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Considering every Harry Potter movie has a "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, both in audience and critic categories, it's easy to see why fans aren't interested on seeing another take on the books; the movies have already done the justice that the books deserved.

In fact, many fans have shared they'd rather have a TV series dedicated to the Marauders - Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, 4 Gryffindors in the Class of 1978 at Hogwarts. Countless fanfictions and fan-films have been made to explore the Marauder's time at Hogwarts, yet they lack an official film.

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Wrap-Up

There's still countless questions fans are aching to have answered. Whether you're a long time fan or just entering the Wizarding World, I firmly believe this series will have a lasting impact on us all. In the meantime, I advise watching the original 8 films on repeat. And maybe, add some butterbeer to it!