Wands at the ready – Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed that a brand new series based on the story of Harry Potter will be coming to Max, HBO’s exclusive streaming service.
But what do we know about this new magical show? We’ve done the digging, so you don’t have to. You can also read about how all the Harry Potter films are coming to Netflix.
Harry Potter Max series release date
If all goes to plan, HBO will release the Harry Potter series in 2026. That’s according to Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav (via The Hollywood Reporter), who met with J.K. Rowling to discuss the show.
There will be over a decade of content, providing that the show is successfully renewed year on year.
Harry Potter Max series cast and crew
No cast members have been confirmed, but the main golden trio will likely be newcomers, just like Dan, Rupert and Emma were.
Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content said the following on casting: “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’ll start going out to the business.”
HBO is currently trying to source a showrunner, but we do know that J.K. Rowling is onboard as an executive producer. This news has received lots of backlash due to the author’s transphobic views. She will be joined by Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts.
No former Harry Potter actors have been confirmed to return as of yet.
Harry Potter HBO Max plot
Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed that the new series will dive deep into the original story covered in all seven books. The show will be told across ten years, so may be more than seven seasons long, defying the long-standing rumours of having one season per book.
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery
Here is the official statement from Warner on the new show:
“The stories from each of Rowling’s Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for. The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over twenty-five years.
“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.”
This means that fans could expect to see characters and plot points that weren’t explored in the films, such as Peeves, S.P.E.W and the Marauders backstory.
How to watch the new Harry Potter series
The show is being developed for Max, HBO’s streaming service that is available in the US, as well as Latin America and parts of Europe. In America, prices start from $9.99 per month for ad-supported content.
There is no Max here in the UK – most shows are syndicated on Sky and Now. However, by the time this show releases, Max may have expanded internationally. Either way, we would expect a UK release to be on the cards, considering the British heritage of this franchise.
Author: Hannah Cowton, Entertainment Editor
As Tech Advisor's Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She's also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she's written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.