HBO announces new Harry Potter series for 2026

HBO has announced a new Harry Potter television series scheduled to premiere on December 25, 2026. The first season will consist of eight episodes focusing on the first book, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’. Following the initial release, new episodes are expected to be released every Friday through February 2027.

The announced cast includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Hagrid. A second season has already been confirmed, featuring characters such as Ginny Weasley, Tom Riddle, and Dobby.

Discussions surrounding the adaptation suggest the series may provide more depth to characters that were underutilized in previous film adaptations, specifically noting the potential for improved character development for Neville Longbottom as depicted in J. K. Rowling’s original novels.