Harry Potter TV series: Release date speculation and cast news
The TV series will be based on all seven books about the boy wizard.
Sorry Harry Potter fans, you've got a long old wait ahead of you for the upcoming TV series.
Millennials across the globe were thrilled when it was announced that a new series based on JK Rowling's bestselling series about a boy wizard was in the works, with it finding a home on Max, the streaming service previously known as HBO Max.
While the search for a new Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger will soon be on, there has been an update about an expected release window - and it's not exactly any time soon.
Each season of the new live-action series will be an adaptation of each of the seven books, with a brand new cast playing the beloved characters.
So, when can we expect the series to land and who could star? Read on for everything we know so far.
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Harry Potter TV series release date speculation
The new Harry Potter TV series is expected to arrive in 2026, according to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav (via Deadline) so fans will have quite a while to wait.
The outlet reports that he said: "“We’ve not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter.
"I was in London a few weeks ago with Casey [Bloys, CEO of HBO] and Channing [Dungey, chairperson of Warner Bros Television] and we spent some real time with JK and her team. Both sides just thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great.”
Rumblings of a Harry Potter TV show have been around since 2021, and while confirmation of the project is welcome news to many, Rowling’s views on transgender rights have turned some fans away from the beloved series in recent years.
The author was absent from the 20-year anniversary special of the Harry Potter movies, while there were also boycotts of the Hogwars Legacy game by many.
Harry Potter TV series cast rumours: Who could star?
Casting for the new series is still set to kick off, with Warner Bros boss Channing Dungey saying that any reports that it's already in progress are inaccurate.
Suggesting it will be "tricky" to find a new golden trio, she told Variety: "We’re in conversations with a number of different writers to figure out who’s going to be the person to lead that franchise for us.
"The first step for us is figuring out who this showrunner is going to be, and once we get that locked down, then we can start having those [casting] conversations. The tricky part is the first two books, where the kids are on the younger end, around 11 or 12."
Hero Talent Group founder Nicole Tasker told The Times that a handful of actors will be picked through open calls.
She said: "The casting team will do open calls on social media, go to local drama groups and contact all the child agencies. It used to just be the big drama schools, but everything is more open now."
However, it hasn't stopped fans from giving their picks as to who could star in the show.
British actor Toby Woolf is rumoured to be taking over from Daniel Radcliffe as the newest Harry Potter. The actor previously appeared in Billie Piper’s film Rare Beasts. Other TV credits include The Last Post and Pistol.
Meanwhile, British actress Bronte Carmichael (Andor, Game of Thrones, Great Expectations) is rumoured to be taking over from Emma Watson as Hermione, while Joshua Pickering (Peter Pan and Wendy, A Discovery of Witches) is rumoured to be the next Ron Weasley.
In addition, fans would love to see Draco Malfoy himself, Tom Felton (The Flash), return to the franchise as Lucius Malfoy, his original character’s father, while many reckon Adam Driver should take over from the late, great Alan Rickman as Snape.
Meanwhile, Helen Mirren is being tipped to play Minerva McGonagall, while Blair Underwood is being suggested as the next Albus Dumbledore.
But these are just rumours at this point, and fans will have to wait for more information.
For those hoping for returns from the film franchise’s stars such as Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson or Rupert Grint, it's not looking likely.
Chatting to ComicBook.com, Radcliffe quashed any speculation about him making an appearance, saying: "My understanding is that they’re trying to very much start fresh, and I’m sure whoever is making them will want to make their own mark on it and probably not want to have to figure out how to get old Harry to cameo in this somewhere."
He continued: "So I’m definitely not seeking it out in any way… but I do wish them, obviously, all the luck in the world, and I’m very excited to have that torch passed. But I don't think it needs me to physically pass it."
Argus Filch star David Bradley told RadioTimes.com: "I think it’ll be very interesting to see what they will do with the extra time they’ll have to film more of the books than we could. The Goblet of Fire and the last two, they were quite chunky - how do you condense those into a two and a half hour film?
"Of course, you’ve got to sacrifice quite a lot of plot and characters. I’m assuming the reason they’re doing it is they’ll be able to include more of the story because they’ll have more screen time - a lot more than the films had. I’ll be interested. I haven’t had the call yet!"
Asked whether it felt strange to see a new adaptation in the works, Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy, mused: "It’s no weirder for me than for everybody else who’s seen the films. I happen to be in the films too."
He continued: "They make a new Spider-Man every 15 minutes. You know, there was a ton of stuff in the books that we left out. Yeah, it's an odd feeling, but it’s no odder for me than it is anyone else. I can’t wait to see them and see what they do."
At the moment, Max is focusing on searching for a showrunner.
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"We have been trying to be very close to the vest," said Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max content.
"We haven’t gone out to agencies. We have our own internal process where we’ve been thinking about people, but we have not wanted to go out into the world. Now that the news is out there… we’ll start going out to the business."
JK Rowling will executive produce the series, alongside Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts, while David Heyman, who executive produced all eight of the Harry Potter feature movies (released between 2001 and 2011) is also in discussions to executive produce, per The Hollywood Reporter.
"Max’s commitment to preserving the integrity of my books is important to me, and I’m looking forward to being part of this new adaptation which will allow for a degree of depth and detail only afforded by a long form television series," said Rowling in a statement.
What is the Harry Potter TV series about?
The series will be based on all seven books in the series, published between 1997 and 2007.
A statement from the newly branded Max explained: "The stories from each of Rowling’s Harry Potter books will become a decade-long series produced with the same epic craft, love and care this global franchise is known for.
"The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over 25 years."
It continued: "Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally."
The Harry Potter series will arrive on Max in 2026.
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