HBO has revealed (via SFFGazette.com) that the new Harry Potter TV series is set to begin shooting next summer. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner (Succession) and executive producer Mark Mylod (The Last of Us) appeared at the Max Showcase in London yesterday to share new details about this small screen adaptation of J.K. Rowling's beloved series of novels.
"We have 8 hours to tell the first book, so we can dig into the real depths and crevices and how the language of magic can evolve," they revealed, likely confirming that the HBO series is getting an 8-episode first season with one-hour episodes.
Gardiner told attendees that she "devoured" the Harry Potter books as a 14-year-old and revealed that upwards of 32,000 young actors have so far auditioned for the lead roles of Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
The casting team has the mammoth task of reviewing between 500 and 1,000 audition tapes a day, and while no decisions have been made yet, Mylod revealed that the plan is to "workshop with some of our shortlisted candidates" next month.
As expected, the plan is to stick much closer to the books as well because they intend to cast characters to their "canonical" ages, meaning Severus Snap will be 31 and the Dursleys will also be much younger than they were in the movies. This also means that James and Lily Potter will be in their early 20s.
While not mentioned at the event, Mark Rylance is still believed to be the frontrunner to play Professor Albus Dumbledore.
Gardiner noted that the benefit of a TV series is that it gives them a "bigger sandpit to play in" than the movies, with Mylod adding that they'll "dig into the depths and crevices of Hogwarts."
Having more room to adapt these stories also means they can "really dig into the character arcs," though their intention is not to "undo what was done so brilliantly" on the big screen. We will, however, get an updated take on Hogwarts and "get to have some fun with Peeves in the corridors."
As for the ongoing controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling caused by what many feel are anti-trans views, HBO's Casey Bloys said, "We are totally comfortable with" continuing to work with the author and added that he'd prefer to "do what the creatives want to do" rather than "listen to fan conversation."
HBO's Harry Potter is also executive produced by J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films. The series is expected to premiere either in 2026 or 2027.