New ‘Harry Potter’ series receives greenlight for production in 2025

Dec 6

Kennedy Felton Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer

By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

The “Harry Potter” franchise is set to return with a new TV series. Warner Bros. Discovery has announced a new television series, promising to revisit the franchise like never before.

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The series will be filmed at Leavesden Studios in England, the same location as the original movies, and is set to span an entire decade. During a presentation at the Leavesden headquarters on Thursday, Dec. 5, showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod revealed updates about the show’s production.

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The search for the new cast is in full swing. So far, 32,000 children have auditioned for lead roles, with the casting team reviewing between 500 and 1,000 tapes daily.

Paapa Essiedu is reportedly in talks to play Professor Snape. Mylod acknowledged that while Alan Rickman is irreplaceable, the team is excited to discover a new generation of talent to bring these beloved characters to life.

Mylod shared that the new series will allow more in-depth exploration of characters and Hogwarts’ history while staying true to the original film’s legacy.

Controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling

Controversy continues to surround Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. Since 2020, Rowling has faced backlash for her outspoken opposition to transgender rights. Many cast members of the original films, including Daniel Radcliffe, have publicly expressed support for transgender rights, distancing themselves from Rowling’s views.

According to Variety, Rowling has posted or reposted about trans-related issues more than 200 times between September and November 2024.

HBO responded to the ongoing controversy in November, stating:

“J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”

A long wait for fans

HBO Chief Casey Bloys confirmed that Rowling has been involved in selecting the series’ writer and director. HBO Max ordered the series in April 2023, but filming isn’t expected to begin until the summer of 2025, with a potential premiere in 2026.

“Harry Potter” fans will have to wait a bit longer for their next magical adventure, but this series promises to bring new layers to this beloved world of magic.

Tags: Entertainment, HBO, HBO Max, movies, Transgender, Warner Bros. Discovery

[KENNEDY FELTON]

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD’NT GET ENOUGH OF THE WIZARDING WORLD… THE HARRY POTTER FRANCHISE IS MAKING A COMEBACK.

AND THIS TIME.. ON THE SMALL SCREEN.

WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY ANNOUNCED THE NEW HARRY POTTER SERIES WILL BE FILMED IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE ORIGINAL MOVIES… Leavesden, ENGLAND.

DURING A PRESENTATION THURSDAY AT THEIR LEAVESDEN HEADQUARTERS… SHOWRUNNER FRANCESCA GARDINER AND Mark Mylod SHARED INSIGHTS INTO THE SHOW’S PRODUCTION.

THE SERIES IS SET TO SPAN A DECADE… PROMISING TO DIVE EVEN DEEPER INTO THE MAGIC AND MYSTERY OF HOGWARTS.

[SNIPPET FROM “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”]

“Harry Potter… what an honor it is.”

SO FAR – THE CASTING TEAM HAS AUDITIONED 32-THOUSAND CHILDREN FOR THE LEAD ROLES… REVIEWING 5-HUNDRED TO 1-THOUSAND AUDITION TAPES A DAY.

AND YES… THEY HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF WATCHING EVERY SINGLE ONE!

PAAPA ESSIEDU HAS reportedly BEEN TAPPED TO PLAY PROFESSOR SNAPE IN THE SERIES. MYLOD acknowledges although they CAN’T REPLACE THE ORIGINAL – ALAN RICKMAN – THEY *CAN FIND THE NEXT GENERATION of talent.

Mylod SAYS THE GOAL OF THE SERIES IS TO DIG DEEPER INTO THE CHARACTERS’ STORIES WHILE EXPLORING HOGWARTS AS WELL AS ITS STAFF… ALL WHILE BUILDING ON THE LEGACY OF THE ORIGINAL FILMS.

THE PROJECT COMES WITH CONTROVERSY… MOSTLY CENTERED AROUND THE CREATOR OF HARRY POTTER… JK ROWLING.

SINCE 20-20 SHE HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN ABOUT HER BELIEFS OPPOSING TRANSGENDER RIGHTS… SPARKING SIGNIFICANT BACKLASH FROM FANS… AS WELL AS STATEMENTS FROM THE FILM SERIES’ CAST DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM THE AUTHOR IN SUPPORT OF TRANSGENDER RIGHTS.

ACCORDING TO VARIETY… ROWLING HAS POSTED OR REPOSTED ABOUT TRANS-RELATED ISSUES MORE THAN 2-HUNDRED TIMES BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

H-B-O SAID IN A STATEMENT TO VARIETY IN NOVEMBER – “J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”

AND H-B-O CHIEF CASEY BLOYS SAID AT A RECENT PRESS EVENT THAT ROWLING HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SELECTING THE SERIES’ WRITER AND DIRECTOR.

THE NEW SERIES WAS ORDERED AT H-B-O MAX IN APRIL 20-23 BUT FILMING ISNT SET TO START UNTIL SUMMER 20-25 AS THE SERIES EYES A 20-26 PREMIERE. SO – HARRY POTTER FANS WILL NEED TO WAIT A BIT LONGER FOR THEIR NEXT MAGICAL ADVENTURE.