The new Harry Potter series is finally filming in the UK this summer, and after production got started, we're learning more and more details about the series, including the official episode count.
According to Redanian Intelligence, Director of Photography Adriano Goldman revealed in a recent interview with Forbes that the first season of the Harry Potter series will be eight episodes.
Here's what Goldman told the outlet:
"I’m not the only director of photography. There are eight episodes and three directors of photography, plus the second unit. But I act as the lead photographer, the main director of photography, because I shoot the first two episodes and the last one. In total, four of the eight episodes."
This is the first time we have anyone associated with the series on record confirming the episode count. HBO has not officially announced, but there were reports in mid-July that the episode count would also be eight episodes. It's great that we're getting confirmation this early in the process, especially considering it was kind of a worry for fans.
For a while, it appeared that there might only be six episodes in the first season, which was definitely on the short side for a big fantasy series like this. There is a lot of ground to cover with this story, especially in the first season, as this world is introduced to fans, new and old.
I have a few reservations with the episode count, but I'm hopeful that Francesca Gardiner and the creative team are able to break this story in a way that's fun, exciting, and intriguing. There is a lot to live up to with the Harry Potter series, considering how good and present the Harry Potter movies still are. With an eight-episode first season, it sure seems like the creative team and HBO feel like they have enough story to cover almost eight hours of TV, assuming we're not getting 30-minute episodes.
As a Harry Potter fan, I am a little worried there's enough story to cover in the first season to justify eight episodes. The biggest issue would be fans starting the series and losing interest because the story gets boring. We've all seen the Harry Potter movies and know this story so well, so they have to bring something different to the table, or it's going to feel flat.
Over time, I'm expecting we'll see more episodes in each season as the stories get longer. The first three books in J.K. Rowling's series are notably shorter than the final four books. I would anticipate, if the first season is going to be eight episodes, that those later seasons could be 10-12 episodes each, but that's a lot of money for Warner Bros. to spend on this show. It's been reported that this could be the most expensive series of all time, and adding two or four new episodes later in the run might be out of the question entirely.
We'll just have to wait and see what happens! Stay tuned for more news about the Harry Potter series coming to HBO Max in 2027.