New photos from the set of HBO Max's Harry Potter reboot showed a character who was never realized in the original movies. Warner Bros. is deep into production on the serialized adaptation of Harry Potter, which will adapt the story from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for its first season. Fans have gotten a look at classic characters from the books from early set photos, but it appears that the show will add some twists as well.
Set photos from HBO Max's Harry Potter series showed the first look at Nicolas Flamel. Taken by photographer Terry Burton (via @WW_Direct on X), the photos highlight a scene between Flamel, John Lithgow's Professor Albus Dumbledore, and an actress who appears to be playing Flamel's wife, Perenelle. The three are walking on the edge of a large cliff in costume, but there are no other details on what happens in this scene.
As reported by @WW_Direct, Nicolas will be played by Lambert Wilson, and Perenelle will be portrayed by
This marks a monumental moment for the Harry Potter series, as Flamel did not get any screentime in 2001's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone or any of its seven sequels. The character's only previous on-screen appearance came in 2018's Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, in which Brontis Jodorowsky portrayed the character.
Warner Bros.' new Harry Potter series will be a serialized, episode depiction of author J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books, which is expected to bring one of her seven books to life per season. Amidst a massive cast of stars (which includes multiple actors returning from the original movies), the series will be led by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Season 1 of the Harry Potter series is expected to debut on HBO Max sometime in 2026.
Nicolas Flamel's Potential Role in Harry Potter Series Reboot & OG Book
Nicolas Flamel does not get much time to shine in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series (who is controversially set to return as a producer for the show), but he still plays a key role in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Based on a real French alchemist of the same name, Flamel is known in Harry Potter lore for being the only person known to have made the Sorcerer's Stone. This Stone is notable for producing the Elixir of Life, which made Flamel immortal until he and Professor Dumbledore agreed to destroy the Stone at the end of the first book. He lived for at least 665 years, but his death isn't addressed once the Stone is gone.
Flamel is never mentioned again in the original Harry Potter books or movies, and he only plays a minimal role in the second film from the Fantastic Beasts spin-offs that came to theaters from 2016 to 2022. Now, with eight episodes of screentime to fill, Warner Bros. seems set to potentially give the character his most fleshed-out story to date.
Season 1 is likely to explore his relationship with Dumbledore, whom he was close to for decades before his death. This show may also dive into how Flamel made the Sorcerer's Stone, the titular MacGuffin item that the core trio of children search for and find before the end of the first book.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
