Harry Potter TV Series Targeting 2026 Premiere on Max
Max‘s previously announced Harry Potter TV series is on track to cast a spell in 2026.
During their Q4 earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav zeroed in on a release date for the streaming service’s as-yet-untitled adaptation.
“We’ve not been shy about our excitement around Harry Potter,” Zaslav said. “The last film was made more than a dozen years ago. I was in London a few weeks ago with [HBO and Max head] Casey [Bloys] and [Warner Bros. TV boss] Channing [Dungey] and we spent some real time with J.K. [Rowling] and her team. Both sides are thrilled to be reigniting this franchise. Our conversations were great, and we couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.
“We can’t wait to share a decade of new stories with fans around the world on Max,” he continued. “We’re aiming for a debut in 2026.”
The series, which was ordered in April 2023, is described as a “faithful adaptation” of each of Rowling’s seven Harry Potter books, with plans for the show to span a decade. (It’s not yet clear if that equates to 10 seasons, or simply a 10-year lifespan for the series.)
“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,” a Max press release said at the time.
“We are delighted to give audiences the opportunity to discover Hogwarts in a whole new way,” added Bloys. “Harry Potter is a cultural phenomenon and it is clear there is such an enduring love and thirst for the Wizarding World. In partnership with Warner Bros. Television and J.K. Rowling, this new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years.”
Neither a head writer nor casting has been announced as of press time.
She’s a truly awful person – and shame on HBO for this
Just wait for the the JK supports to cry foul when a diverse cast is announced. They will go apesh*t.
I personally can’t stand JK as a person but I enjoy the Potter stuff.
Because anyone that supports Rowling must be a bigot. Heaven forbid, she have an opinion you don’t like.
when she expresses an opinion that actually causes harm to individuals just trying to live then yes I call them and you a bigot.
Just own what you are.
she might be an awful person. I don’t disagree with you, but the world shouldn’t be deprived of the series because of her.
No she’s not. You have a very low bar for who is a truly awful person. Vladimir Putin is a truly awful person. Rowling isn’t even close. Here’s what she said:
“I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
She literally just donated money publicly to some “real women”’s rights legislation. She is awful.
what’s wrong with real women
She’s not an evil person, but I am sure she’s losing sleep over opinions like that. Lol
Cancel culture, much?
The west is turning into a propaganda controlled society! Another Soviet Union and China! Well done, you all!
JK Rawling is an amazing woman only saying the facts! The series is probably not really necessary so early since the movies are amazing! I wish the producers would come up with fresh ideas instead of reheating old ones (reboots galore!)
As for the diverse cast? Who cares? The problem is: are they cast because of their skin colour/sexual orientation or because they are good actors? Has anyone checked with the Witches & Wizards Association for casting approval: we cannot have actors only pretending to be witches, they do not have the necessary life experience …
You probably don’t even know what she really said about trans persons, do you? More power to the LGBTQ+ community. Live your lives as you deserve to live them.
However, if I identify as a male (don’t label me ‘cisgender’), that is my right as a person. It doesn’t mean I respect you less. Do you get it now?
Why??? Just why??? The movies were pretty faithful to the book. They’re still available to watch. If you want to do something in the Potterverse why not something new and not just recreating something already there. Imagination is dead. Crikey dingo WB hire creative people to tell new stories and that’s outside of Potter too.
My guess is they won’t do that because they already tried and failed with Fantastic Beasts. This of course ignores multiple issues people had with Beasts that had nothing to do with the stories being told. All the studio sees is that it didn’t work, so they must stick with Harry and nothing else.
That’s the same mistake the Star Wars films made after Solo tanked. They assumed that no one wanted new spin off movies just because ONE failed, ignoring the fact that it mostly failed because it came out just 5 months after Last Jedi, which was not well received.
I agree with Tim, Fantastic beasts failed for reasons other than the story. But if they must stick with Harry there are still new stories to tell. When Deathly Hallows finishes, Harry is 18. Except for the brief 10 min at King’s cross in the epilogue we know very little about the rest of its life. Or at least nothing has been showed in any media…why tell again the same 7 years that has already been adapted in books, movies and video games. Do adult Harry at least! I kinda agree that creativity is dead and they don’t want to take any risks. I know it probably will more faithful that the movies because they will spend 8 to 15 hours per books instead a 2-3h in the movies but a bit disappointed to see a story that I already know the end. I will watch anyway.
The movies weren’t even close to the books what are you even talking about? The humor in the books was never even touched on in the book. Where’s Oliver, and his obsession with the Quidditch Cup? Where’s Lee Jordan? The movies were not faithful to the books.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say they weren’t faithful, but, there was a TON of stuff cutout due to the time/format. The humor as you mention being a huge one. A TV show with its extended run time can cover so much more. . . and maybe redeem poor movie Ginny. I have been ecstatic in recent years when books get the TV show treatment over movie (like a Discovery of Witches) because you get to see so much more. The obvious big downside is budget, but TV special effects are coming along, and I’m guessing WB won’t skimp too much on what will be such a flagship show.
Sorry, I was remiss in not including a caveat that I do not support Rowling’s beliefs. It has obviously tarnished the franchise, but I’ve taken some comfort in other associated figures, such as Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe, who have made their tolerant, inclusive, and loving beliefs well known.
Yes, it is very important these days to emphasize your disrelish against Rowling unhesitantly all the time to avoid being the subject of a witch hunt suddenly ^^
‘Harry Potter’ is as popular as ever. The critics of her views are loud but a small and easily ignored minority.
What movies were you watching? The movies left out so much, especially the later ones. We never find out in the movie how Sirius escaped Azkaban. How Barty Jr escaped. How Dumbledore found the ring. Where is Winky?
The only reason I’m excited for this is that we will finally get the fully flushed out storylines we missed in the movies.
I am so freaking excited!!!! I never liked the movies, never felt they followed canon as closely as they should have. I am so here for it.
“…a decade of new stories…” Right… until it gets to Season 3 and you decide to pull all the episodes and sell it, unfinished, to Roku or Tubi. Never change, Zazzy.
I wont be tuning in. Supporting this is supporting her and i simply wont do that as much as i enjoyed the books and the movies.
WB have sunk to a new low doing this.
Too soon. Way too soon, even if Rowling hadn’t gone sour. Did they even listen to the fans? They wanted a Marauders era series. There would have been a much better reaction to a Marauders series of movies, and already this is a bad idea. I won’t be watching and giving Rowling another single penny.
If it’s a ‘faithful’ adaptation of the books, then that will be dire. Nobody in the history of any film or tv show had done a successful and faithful adaptation of a totally different media.
I love when they announce a release date for shows and movies and you have to mention “there’s no script, no cast, no writers, no directors…just the intention of forcing this IP remake into existence so we don’t have to think up anything original or nurture new talent or take a risk.”