HBO has officially started filming on its new Harry Potter TV series. We even got a picture of star Dominic McLaughlin as the Boy Who Lived, above. It's really happening.
But we won't get to see the fruits of HBO's labors for a while. According to the network's press release, the Harry Potter TV show won't debut until sometime in 2027. No specific date was given.
This isn't a big surprise. The show has an enormous cast and has built gigantic sets. HBO is going all out on this series, which hopes to adapt all seven of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books in as many seasons, in more detail than the movies managed. Is that strictly necessary when the movies are still pretty comprehensive, quite good and fairly recent? The jury's out on that one, but with so much on the line, HBO is going to take the time to do this right.
And I don't mind waiting a while to see the first season of the show; the real test will be whether HBO can keep new episodes coming at a tolerable clip after that season debuts. I think people will be okay waiting two years for season 1, since they don't have many expectations yet. But I think they'll be very annoyed if they have to wait two or more years after that for season 2.
Unfortunately, long waits between seasons seem like the norm for expensive tentpole dramas these days. Hopefully HBO knows that and is taking steps to fix the problem. In the case of a show like Harry Potter, it's doubly important because it involves child actors who will age into teenagers or 20-somethings if you wait too long to get the cameras rolling.
Full Harry Potter cast list
But we'll cross all those bridges when we come to them. For now, here's the full cast we know so far:
- Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
- Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
- Arabella Stanton as Hermione
- John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
- Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
- Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
- Luke Thallon as Professor Quirrell
- Paul Whitehouse as Filch
- Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley
- Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy
- Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy
- Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan
- Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil
- Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown
- Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley
- Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley
- Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge
- Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom
- Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley
- Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch
- Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander
We'll bring you more updates as we get them. In the meanwhile:
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