The Harry Potter movies wrapped up in 2011 with The Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Warner Bros. had already managed to extend J.K. Rowling's seven novels into eight movies by splitting the last one in two, but that was the end of the line for the Boy Wizard.
Even now, it's still a little early to adapt The Cursed Child stage play into a movie, and getting the original cast back for that would likely be easier said than done.
So, Warner Bros. tried to expand the Wizarding World franchise with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. That was a critical and commercial success, but when the sequels shifted focus from those fantastic beasts to the lore surrounding Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, interest waned, and the story was never finished.
Harry Potter is now being rebooted for HBO, with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone set to debut this Christmas. The story will be told across seven eight-episode seasons, expanding on moments and characters that the movies didn't have room for.
The franchise's move to streaming has raised some eyebrows. However, in an interview with Radio Times (via SFFGazette.com), Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, confirmed that the idea isn't to use the show as a launching platform for spin-offs and a slate of "Potterverse" projects.
"First of all, we'll be so busy, adapting the books is going to be a long process," the executive explained. "So, no, the idea is not to go into this and turn it into, you know, a DC or a Marvel, or anything like that. The idea is to go in and do the books."
Adding that he's "thrilled" with what he's seen from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Bloys described the series as "books plus," explaining, "There will be things in the show that were not in the movies, but also were not necessarily in the books, but are not off-canon, you just didn't necessarily see them."
HBO is set for at least the next decade, but beyond that, it will be interesting to see what lies ahead for the Wizarding World and how the franchise will continue to find a place on our screens.
In terms of those unseen moments, we know from set photos that Nicolas Flamel, the creator of the Philosopher's Stone, will be getting screentime that he had in neither the films nor Rowling's books. What else from the books will be expanded on remains to be seen.
You can watch the first trailer for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the player below.
There is nothing special about Harry Potter - at least that's what his Aunt Petunia always says. On his 11th birthday, a letter of admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world for Harry: one of fun, friendship and magic. But with this new adventure comes great risk as Harry is forced to face a dangerous enemy from his past.
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.
Additional cast includes Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley, Leigh Gill as Griphook, and Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander.
The series, based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved books, is written and executive-produced by Francesca Gardiner. Mark Mylod will executive produce and direct multiple episodes of the series for HBO in association with Brontë Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television. The series is executive produced by J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone premieres on HBO Max this Christmas.