“You wait forever to do something this important for people”: HBO reveals how the new Harry Potter is being made

On April 5, a 30-minute special titled Finding Harry: The Craft Behind the Magic premiered on HBO Max — offering a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the new Harry Potter series.

The episode is narrated by Nick Frost, who plays Hagrid. It also features interviews with John Lithgow (Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (McGonagall), and Paapa Essiedu (Snape), all discussing their work on the project.

The central focus of the episode is the search for the main cast — Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The roles ultimately went to Dominic McLaughlin, Alistair Stout, and Arabella Stanton respectively. Beyond the actors, the special also highlights costume designers, set designers, and creature specialists, all speaking about the scale of the production. Filming is taking place at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios in the UK — the same location used for the original films.

Lithgow perfectly sums up the project in the trailer for the special:

The trailer for the series itself has already become the most-watched in the history of HBO and HBO Max, reaching 277 million views within its first 48 hours.

The first season, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is set to premiere on HBO Max in Christmas 2026. The showrunner is Francesca Gardiner, with music composed by Hans Zimmer.

Are you looking forward to the new series, or do you prefer the original films? Let us know in the comments.