HBO's Harry Potter revealed the first look at the wands of five main characters, which are completely different from those in the original movies. As one would expect for a reboot, HBO is taking steps to put its own stamp on Harry Potter by redesigning key elements, such as the castle interior, various costumes, props, and, most recently, the brand-new Hogwarts house crests.
The official Harry Potter Instagram account revealed the best look yet at the new wands belonging to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and Neville Longbottom. The wands maintain the same material and specs as the Harry Potter movies, although some appear significantly different.
HBO's Harry Potter Unveils 5 Redesigned Wands That Aren't Like the Movies
Harry Potter
In a major change from the movies, fans have already seen the new Harry Potter casting spells with his wand, but the new promo art remains the best look at it. As Potterheads will know, Harry's wand is 28 cm long, made with holly, and contains a Phoenix feather core (the same type of bird as Dumbledore's pet Fawkes).
Throughout the Harry Potter movie saga, the Noble Collection created highly detailed and accurate replicas of every witch and wizard's wand, and they offer the best point of comparison when examining how HBO's new magical sticks will differ.
While the general shape and coloring of Harry's all-important wand are broadly similar, HBO's updated take is more polished and looks less weathered.
Harry's wand has a unique significance in the franchise as it is the brother of Voldemort's, holding a core from the very same Phoenix. It is that connection that prevents the two wands from properly clashing in The Goblet of Fire, forcing Voldemort to seek another wand, the Elder Wand, to actually fight Harry.
Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley's wand is made of ash wood and has a unicorn hair core, although he wasn't the first Weasley to wield this wand. Due to the Weasleys' financial hardship, Ron instead uses his eldest brother Charlie's wand, as he had already finished school and gotten a new wand before going to study dragons in Romania.
The updated HBO design is vastly different from what audiences saw in the Harry Potter movies, appearing much lighter in color to reflect its ash material, with the divets down the handle very reminiscent of those trees as well.
While Ron gets his first wand as a hand-me-down from his eldest brother, Charlie, he finally gets one of his own between his second and third years at Hogwarts. Some will remember that Ron's wand is in for trouble in the upcoming Season 2, as it gets broken on his crash landing to Hogwarts through a Whomping Willow.
Find out why HBO just cast its second actor to play Ron in Harry Potter.
Hermione Granger
Arabella Stanton's Hermione Granger will quickly establish herself as one of the most gifted witches of her generation in Harry Potter, and her vine wood wand is said to reflect that drive for a "greater purpose." The 27 cm wand has a dragon heartstring core, much like those of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy.
Hermione's HBO wand maintains the same spiraling patterns from the movies, although it comes in a much darker color to stand out from the rest of the rod. For the most part, the design, much like Harry's and unlike Ron's, is quite similar.
Draco Malfoy
Lox Pratt is coming to play as the next Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, and he appeared in the trailer as he and his Slytherin friends drew their wands, presumably to threaten our heroes. The son of Death Eater Lucius Malfoy has a 25 cm hawthorn wood wand with a unicorn hair core.
While both Draco's HBO and movie wands have the aura of wealth and clean living that comes with the Malfoy family, the altered design is much lighter in color, with the creamy brown tint reflecting the hawthorn tree from which it hails.
Neville Longbottom
Fans still haven't seen Rory Wilmot's Neville Longbottom carrying his wand, as his talents instead lie in the mud of Herbology. Neville inherited his wand from his father, who was tortured to insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange, and its exact specifications have never been revealed by J.K. Rowling.
Neville's wand has undeniably undergone the greatest changes compared to the movies, as it now simply resembles a branch plucked from a tree. One could argue that this simplicity is fitting for Neville, who is known for his bumbling nature.
Ultimately, Neville gets a new wand later in the Harry Potter franchise after it is broken during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in The Order of the Phoenix when it is snapped by the Death Eater Antonin Dolohov. However, those events won't unfold until Season 5, which may be some time away, given HBO's latest release schedule update for Harry Potter.
In the coming months, as Harry Potter edges closer to its release on Christmas Day (December 25), there is a high chance that more wands will receive similar reveals, such as Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, and, of course, Albus Dumbledore, who famously wields the all-important Elder Wand.
