Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone premieres on HBO on Christmas Day, beginning a planned 7-season TV series that will faithfully adapt each of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels.
It's an ambitious plan, and one that's drawn criticism and created excitement in equal measure. Some Wizarding World fans have questioned the necessity of a reboot (it's been 15 years since the film franchise concluded). Meanwhile, others are eager to see the characters and moments cut from the movies finally brought to life on screen.
Trailers have received a largely positive response from Wizarding World fans, and as we first reported on SFFGazette.com, we now have our first review of the show from Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content.
He's not exactly unbiased then, but asked in a recent interview whether he thinks Harry Potter will be the most-viewed TV show of 2026, the executive replied, "Of the year? I'm not going to set expectations like that! I have seen the entire season, and it is great, and I’m very, very happy. So, I feel really, really good about that. Christmas Day, I think a lot of people will be watching around the globe."
Chances are high that Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone breaks records this holiday season, and Bloys is clearly enthusiastic about the series. That's to be expected, but a lot is riding on its success, and it seems doubtful he'd hype up a bad show so publicly.
Bloys' remarks also seem to confirm that Season 1 is now finished, freeing everyone involved to focus on the next batch of episodes as this story continues (he's previously said that the network is aiming for new seasons to be released around every 18 months).
In related news, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has been filming in Latimer, a village in Buckinghamshire, England. No cast members have been spotted yet, but the prevailing theory is that this could be where The Burrow, the Weasley family's home, is located.
Check out some set photos/footage below, along with the full interview with Bloys.
In The Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter's summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and a rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car.
Back at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridors—and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone... Dobby's sinister predictions seem to be coming true.
The main cast of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, and Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy.
New additions to The Chamber of Secrets include Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart, Lenny Rush as Dobby, Billy Barratt as Tom Riddle, Bonnie Hill as Ginny Weasley (who takes over the role from Gracie Cochrane), Rafe Spall as Arthur Weasley, Jasper Ambrose as Colin Creevey, and Molly Hewitt-Richards as Moaning Myrtle.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone premieres on HBO Max this Christmas.