The Harry Potter franchise is one of the most iconic in cinematic history. The record-setting book series stole the hearts of many on the big screen from the years 2001-2011.
A major part of its success was the cast of characters, specifically Harry, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint as Harry, Hermione, and Ron are examples of some of the best child actor casting ever in Hollywood.
Standouts like Alan Rickman's Snape, Robbie Coltrane's Hagrid, and Ralph Fiennes' Voldemort help the film franchise stand the test of time. However, since concluding over a decade ago, the Harry Potter IP has been underutilized with the Fantastic Beasts trilogy that earned limited success.
The greatest success since 2011's Death Hallows Part 2 is likely Hogwarts Legacy, an action role-playing game developed by Avalanche Software, which has sold over 15 million copies worldwide.
Now, Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO David Zaslav has new, "fresh" ideas for how to use one of the company's most valuable pieces of IP
Is Harry Potter Getting a Reboot?
Yes, Warner Bros. Discovery officially announced on April 12 that a new Max Original is in the works, rebooting the Harry Potter franchise.
The series will once again follow the guidance of the books but this time over the course of seven seasons.
According to Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, the series will "dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years."
Is J.K. Rowling Returning for the Reboot?
The author of all seven books, J.K. Rowling, is involved. Rowling has become controversial over her views on gender identity and transgender issues.
In an official statement, Rowling said that she's "looking forward to being part of this new adaptation:"
"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."
Harry Potter Reboot Casting Update
There is no official casting yet for the Max Harry Potter reboot series.
However, entertainment insider Jeff Sneider said on The Hot Mic podcast that there is a "concerted effort" to cast "more people of color" in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot series.
The insider honed in on Hermoine being the most likely character to be race-swapped from the book and movies.
Anything else related to casting is from the fans, such as Adam Driver as Severus Snape or Tom Felton returning to the franchise as Lucius Malfoy rather than Draco.
When & Where Will Harry Potter's Reboot Get Released?
The Harry Potter TV show reboot will premiere on Max.
Fans can expect Harry Potter's return to Hogwarts sometime in 2025 or 2026.
Based on the announcement, the first season will be based on the first book installment: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's (or Philosopher's) Stone.
Due to the circumstances with casting kid actors, expect filming to be well-planned out in pre-production to try and reduce as much time between seasons.
All eight Harry Potter films can be streamed now on Max.
