One of HBO’s most highly anticipated projects is its adaptation of the “Harry Potter” series into a TV show. While there is still a lot of mystery around the production, some recent details have been released about what can be expected.
While speaking at an industry event in Cannes, Channing Dungey, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. TV Group, gave a few hints as to what can be expected from the show.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dungey acknowledged that there was not much to reveal at the moment but said they have a “fantastic writing staff in place and they are doing what they need to do.”
“And casting calls have opened up in the U.K. and Ireland, so the process is moving along,” she continued. “It’s going quite well.”
Furthermore, she gave fans perhaps their biggest bit of information to look forward to — the TV show will allow them to adapt the source material “more in-depth” than the limited time the movies allowed.
“It’s an unbelievable dream, honestly, and as somebody who is a huge fan of books, the opportunity to get to explore them in maybe a little bit more in-depth than you can in just a two-hour film, that’s the whole reason we’re on this journey,” she said.
Has the cast of HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ been determined?
The “Harry Potter” TV series is still in the initial stages of production, so the cast has not yet been determined.
However, last month, an open casting call was launched for new faces to portray Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Applicants must be submitted by the legal parent or guardian of actors between the ages of 9 and 11 who are residents of the U.K. or Ireland. They will be reviewed in April 2025.
Whichever lucky kids manage to snag the roles will have some big shoes to fill. For many years the original cast of the iconic trio (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) have been the faces of the “Harry Potter” franchise — and they will not be easy to replace.
Who is the creative team behind HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’?
In June, after being narrowed down to three finalists, it was announced that Francesca Gardiner would take on the role of showrunner for HBO’s “Harry Potter.” She won the role over Tom Moran (“The Devil’s Hour”) and Kathleen Jordan (“Teenage Bounty Hunters”), per Deadline.
Gardiner is known for working as a producer on several previous TV series, including “Succession,” “Killing Eve” and “His Dark Materials,” per IMDb.
Along with being showrunner, Gardiner will also serve as an executive producer.
According to a statement by the official Harry Potter website, Mark Mylod will take on the role of executive producer and director for several episodes of the series.
Mylod previously worked with Gardiner on “Succession” as a producer and director and is also known for directing several episodes of “Game of Thrones,” per IMDb.
Will J. K. Rowling be involved in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’?
J. K. Rowling retains creative control over any adaptation of her works, according to Deadline. Her involvement in HBO’s version will be as an executive producer.
“Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series,” Rowling said in a statement.
When is HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ coming out?
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hinted the TV series could come out as early as 2026 during an earnings call.
“We’ve not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter,” Zaslav said, per Deadline. “I was in London a few weeks ago with Casey (Bloys, CEO of HBO) and Channing (Dungey, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. TV Group) and we spent some real time with J. K. and her team. Both sides just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great.”