The new Harry Potter television series is arriving this Christmas on HBO and HBO Max. The first season, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will bring J.K. Rowling’s beloved story to the small screen with a brand-new cast and deeper storytelling.
The eight-episode season premieres on December 25, 2026. This is earlier than the 2027 release window that many had expected. Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO made the official announcement on March 25, 2026, along with the first teaser trailer.
What the First Season Covers
Season one adapts the events of J.K. Rowling’s first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The story follows Harry Potter, an 11-year-old boy who has lived with his neglectful aunt and uncle, the Dursleys, for his entire life.
On his 11th birthday, Harry receives a letter inviting him to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He soon learns that he is a wizard and that his parents did not die in a car accident—they were murdered by a dark wizard named Voldemort. Harry travels to Hogwarts, makes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and discovers a hidden world of magic.
The season also follows Harry’s first adventure. He tries to uncover what is hidden beneath a trapdoor guarded by a three-headed dog and why someone connected to Voldemort is after it. The series promises to adapt the book in greater detail than the original films, showing characters and storylines that did not have enough room in the movies.
Episode Release Schedule
HBO has confirmed that the first episode will premiere on December 25, 2026. The network is expected to release episodes weekly, but an official episode-by-episode schedule has not been announced yet.
Here is what we know so far about the release dates:
- Episode 1: December 25, 2026
- Episode 2: Date not yet announced
- Episode 3: Date not yet announced
- Episode 4: Date not yet announced
- Episode 5: Date not yet announced
- Episode 6: Date not yet announced
- Episode 7: Date not yet announced
- Episode 8: Date not yet announced
The first season consists of eight episodes, with an estimated total runtime of about eight hours. This means each episode will likely run for roughly one hour.
Where to Watch the Series
The series will air on HBO and will also be available to stream on HBO Max in regions where the platform operates. This includes recent launch markets in Asia Pacific, Germany, Italy, and the UK & Ireland.
In India, the series will stream exclusively on JioHotstar. Viewers in India can watch the show on the platform starting December 2026.
The New Cast
The series features an entirely new cast. The three young leads are:
- Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter
- Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger
- Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley
The adult cast includes several well-known actors:
- John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore
- Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall
- Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape
- Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid
- Luke Thallon as Professor Quirrell
- Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley
- Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley
- Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch
- Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley
- Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy
Other cast members include Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Elijah Oshin as Dean Thomas, and Tristan Harland and Gabriel Harland as Fred and George Weasley. Warwick Davis plays Filius Flitwick, and Sirine Saba plays Pomona Sprout.
Behind the Scenes
Francesca Gardiner, known for her work on Succession and His Dark Materials, serves as showrunner and head writer for the first season. Mark Mylod, who directed The Menu and episodes of Succession, is an executive producer and will direct several episodes.
J.K. Rowling, David Heyman, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts are also executive producers. The production is a collaboration between HBO, Brontë Film and TV, and Warner Bros. Television. Filming takes place at Leavesden Studios in England, the same studio where the original Harry Potter films were made.
The Music
Hans Zimmer, the Academy Award-winning composer, is creating the score for the series. This marks a departure from the iconic themes composed by John Williams for the original film franchise.
What Makes This Series Different from the Movies
The television format allows for a much deeper exploration of the books. The original films had limited runtime, so many scenes and subplots were cut. The series has eight hours to tell the story of Philosopher’s Stone, compared to the film’s roughly two and a half hours.
This means viewers can expect to see:
- More time with Harry in the Muggle world before he receives his Hogwarts letter
- Deeper character development for Ron, Hermione, and other students
- Scenes and storylines that were not included in the films
- A more detailed look at Hogwarts and the magical world
The show is planned as a long-form adaptation, with each season covering one of the seven books. HBO plans to turn Harry Potter into a project that lasts roughly a decade.
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Season 2 Already in Development
HBO has already renewed the series for a second season. Season two will be based on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and is expected to begin filming in fall 2026.
Also Read: Lupin Part 4 Release Date, Episode Schedule, Story Details and Streaming Guide
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