HBO has unveiled the first teaser for its long-anticipated Harry Potter series, offering a brief look at a new Boy Who Lived and a freshly imagined Hogwarts. The eight-episode first season will premiere on Christmas 2026 on HBO and stream exclusively on HBO Max.
The roughly two-minute clip begins at the Dursleys’ house, showing young Harry Potter (Dominic McLaughlin) confined to the cupboard under the stairs, taunted by cousin Dudley and admonished by Aunt Petunia. The sequence follows Harry as he receives his Hogwarts letter, meets Hagrid, rides the London Underground, and dashes through Platform 9 3/4 to catch the Hogwarts Express.
Teaser highlights include Harry’s first wand from Garrick Ollivander, early moments of camaraderie with Ron and Hermione, glimpses of Quidditch and the Sorting Hat ceremony, a snowy Christmas scuffle, and sweeping views of a reimagined Entrance Hall at Hogwarts.
The principal young cast features Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The adult cast includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
Other young cast members announced are Rory Wilmot (Neville Longbottom), Lox Pratt (Draco Malfoy), Leo Earley (Seamus Finnigan), Elijah Oshin (Dean Thomas), Tristan Harland (Fred Weasley), Gabriel Harland (George Weasley), Ruari Spooner (Percy Weasley), and Alessia Leoni (Parvati Patil). Additional roles go to Daniel Rigby (Vernon Dursley), Bel Powley (Petunia Dursley), Paul Whitehouse (Argus Filch), Johnny Flynn (Lucius Malfoy), Bertie Carvel (Cornelius Fudge), Luke Thallon (Quirinus Quirrell), and Katherine Parkinson (Molly Weasley). The role of Lord Voldemort has not been announced.
The series is adapted from J.K. Rowling’s bestselling novels, with Francesca Gardiner writing and serving as an executive producer. Mark Mylod is an executive producer and will direct multiple episodes. HBO produces the show with Bronte Film and TV and Warner Bros. Television; Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley‑Letts and David Heyman of Heyday Films are also listed as executive producers.
HBO plans a decade-long adaptation covering all seven books, with each season corresponding to one novel and new seasons expected through 2036. The project revisits the franchise first brought to screens by Warner Bros., which released eight Harry Potter films between 2001 and 2011, beginning with the film that starred Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
